Colorado Avalanche shake up their blue line, sending Sam Girard to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Brett Kulak and a second-round pick. Is this a pure salary cap maneuver or a move designed to boost playoff toughness? Girard’s longstanding presence and dwindling ice time raise questions about the Avs’ evolving defensive priorities and postseason strategy.
Chris Micieli and Zach Pearson dissect the trade’s implications—examining Kulak’s playoff experience, versatility, and what his arrival means for the Avalanche’s defensive depth. Discussions spotlight Colorado’s $8.7 million in cap space, potential targets like Nazem Kadri, and whether the front office is primed for additional moves. Listeners get insider perspectives on Girard’s legacy, the impact on the Avs’ playoff blueprint, and what fans should expect next as the trade deadline approaches. Will Colorado use their newfound flexibility to contend with NHL heavyweights?
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14 Comments
I hope this turns out to be a good trade. We could use more of them.
All I have to say is this will be interesting
All I can say is thank you, Jesus 🙏
if they can play him instead of cale on the pk i see that as a huge win.
It seems we always over pay and give draft picks away like they grow on trees. Why do we need to throw in a 2nd round pick
Basically to save salary it costs us a 2nd round…. Common on
Kulak played so well for the Oilers in their run to the finals, the cost to acquire him is higher because there was definitely multiple teams interested in acquiring him.
The Avs have to trade both Girard and Colton to get under the cap for next season, so whether it happened now at the deadline like it did or it happened in the summer, It's been inevitable ever since Necas extended.
Eberle RW Kadri C (-2 million) M Marchment LW 3rd line if Kadri wants to be a 3rd liner
FINALLY!
If we still had Bo Byram OMG we could’ve offloaded Sam and stayed younger. He’s basically a worse Tyson Barrie — $4M for "puck movement" isn’t worth it when teams dump it into his corner on purpose and he struggles net-front. And after he broke his sternum in the 2022 playoffs, he was never the same. Sam was a waste of cap, and we waited to trade him until he was worth nothing and in highsight we gave up Bo for nothing. woooo hoooo WAY WAY WAY overdue. Why does all of the media protect him with kid gloves when he was objectively redundant. Again trading for an older defensemen and a second-round pick makes me sick. I dont think what we got is bad but damn that was an over pay. Not like the avs can draft out of the first round anyway.
23:11 This right here. I’ll never forget his huge first goal in Game 82 against St Louis. He was a spark of excitement in the pre-Cale days and a big piece of the turnaround. This trade makes tons of sense but I’ll always have a lot of love for Sammy G.
I believe they have to use some of that cap space to activate LOC.
The only other way to play with 87 97 and 29 is to be on the Canada team this year or be Brent Kulak.
What have you been watching he's horrible