Samuel Girard was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins by the Colorado Avalanche for Brett Kulak on Tuesday.
The Penguins also received a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.
Girard, a 27-year-old defenseman, has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) and is averaging 17:41 of ice time in 40 games this season. He has one season remaining on the seven-year, $35 million contract ($5 million average annual value) he signed July 31, 2019. He's eighth among Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques defensemen with 232 points (36 goals, 196 assists) in 583 games.
The NHL Trade Deadline is 3 p.m. ET on March 6.
"Hopefully it's a good trade for our team, and it's a good trade for 'G,' " Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "G's been an unbelievable teammate, a great player for this organization for, I think, it's eight and a half years now, and obviously part of our Stanley Cup championship team in 2022. And it's sad to see guys like that go, but I think it could be a good move for him. A little bit more opportunity.
"And I think for us, you're getting a big, solid 'D' that can skate and defend real well and move the puck, and like he does a lot of good things. A guy that's been to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals and was an integral part of their blue line and what they were trying to do as a team. And we like the player a lot, and so we're excited."
Girard has 28 points (three goals, 25 assists) in 67 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including three points (one goal, two assists) in seven games in 2021-22 to help the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup. He did not play after sustaining a broken sternum during Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round against the St. Louis Blues.
Girard was selected by the Nashville Predators in the second round (No. 47) of the 2016 NHL Draft and traded to the Avalanche on Nov. 5, 2017, as part of a three-team deal that included the Ottawa Senators.
"We ... feel that we will have more opportunity here for Sam," Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said. "In Colorado, he was behind a great group on the back end of a team that sits atop the league table and has the entire year. We feel Sam can play higher in our lineup because of his ability to play both special teams, ability move the puck effectively up the ice, mobility and ability to defend using his feet and intelligence."
Dubas said he hoped Girard's abilities would offset any disruption of the Kulak-Kris Letang defense pair.
"We are always seeking ways to improve the present and future of the Penguins," Dubas said. "Of course, all trades have a chance to impact certain chemistry within the group but based on what have learned about Sam and what we already know about our coaching staff, support staff and players is that they have shown the ability to welcome in new additions this season and get them into good form very quickly."
The Avalanche (37-9-9) have the best record in the NHL and visit the Utah Mammoth at Delta Center on Wednesday (9 p.m. ET; Utah16, ALT), with Kulak expected to be in the lineup.
Kulak has seven points (one goal, six assists) in 25 games with the Penguins since being acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 12 with goalie Stuart Skinner for goalie Tristan Jarry. The 32-year-old was third among Penguins defensemen with an average ice time of 20:20 since the deal, behind Erik Karlsson (23:24) and Kris Letang (22:32).
He is in the final season of a four-year, $11 million contract ($2.75 million AAV) he signed with the Oilers on July 13, 2022, and has 134 points (29 goals, 105 assists) in 636 regular-season games for the Penguins, Oilers, Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames, and 24 points (three goals, 21 assists) in 98 playoff games.
"In Brett, we are acquiring a two-way defenseman who can play up and down the lineup," Colorado general manager Chris MacFarland said. "He logs big minutes in all situations and brings a ton of playoff experience that will help our blue line depth."
Bednar said acquiring Kulak gives the Avalanche options on the back end.
"No question," Bednar said, "I mean, this is a big, strong guy that defends really well. He's got a ton of experience as well. So it's just a different look for us, right? I think Kulak's a guy that, depending on how you're matching up in the playoffs, that he can go up and play with a guy like Cale (Makar) if I want to move 'Toewser' (Devon Toews) against another team's top line. ... Maybe Kulak can go up and Toews can go down and he can take care of that matchup with a guy like (Josh) Manson. It gives us flexibility there that I don't think we necessarily had with 'G'.
The Penguins (29-15-12) are second in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the third-place New York Islanders. They play the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSG, SNW, SNE).
NHL.com independent correspondents Ryan Boulding and Wes Crosby contributed to this report
