Avalanche trade Girard, 2nd-round pick to Penguins for Kulak

The Colorado Avalanche traded defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for blue-liner Brett Kulak, the teams announced Tuesday.

Girard, 27, is signed through next season with a $5-million cap hit. The 5-foot-10, 170-pounder has tallied 12 points in 40 games this season. He's registered three seasons of at least 30 points, including a career-high 37 in 2022-23.

He's averaged 17:41 of ice time per game this year, the lowest mark since his rookie season. But Pittsburgh's blue line isn't nearly as deep as Colorado's. Parker Wotherspoon, Ryan Shea, and Ryan Graves are the other left-shooting defensemen on the Penguins' roster.

Kulak is in the final year of a deal that carries a $2.75-million cap hit. The 32-year-old has notched nine points in 56 appearances between the Penguins and Edmonton Oilers in 2025-26, but he's better known for his defensive abilities. He projects to help a Colorado penalty kill that already ranks second in the league.

The Oilers traded Kulak to the Penguins earlier this campaign as part of the Tristan Jarry deal.

Tuesday's trade also creates $2.25 million in cap space for the Avalanche, who may need that money to activate forward Logan O'Connor off long-term injured reserve at some point this season.

The Penguins now have seven second-round picks and six third-round picks over the next three drafts, plus all three of their first-round selections.