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.
"First of all, we would like to thank Samuel for all he has done for the Avalanche organization both on and off the ice over the last nine seasons," Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said. "'G' is a great person and teammate, and was a big part of the group that helped our turnaround back in 2017. We wish him and his family the best of luck in Pittsburgh."
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.
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).
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 ($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," MacFarland said. "He logs big minutes in all situations and brings a ton of playoff experience that will help our blue line depth."
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 on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSG, SNW, SNE).
