Brett Kulak Traded to Colorado as Penguins Acquire Samuel Girard and 2028 Second-Round Pick

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche completed a defense-for-defense swap that sends Brett Kulak to the Avalanche while the Penguins receive Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick. The move reshuffles depth on both blue lines and comes amid an active trade environment as teams position themselves ahead of the March 6 deadline.

Brett Kulak: The player moving to Colorado

Brett Kulak, a 32-year-old defenseman and a pending unrestricted free agent after this season, is leaving Pittsburgh for Colorado. Kulak carries a $2. 75 million cap hit through 2025-26. He previously arrived in Pittsburgh as part of a package that included goaltender Stuart Skinner and a 2029 second-round pick in a deal that sent Tristan Jarry to Edmonton. Kulak had been viewed as a steady depth piece during his time in Edmonton, and that steady role is part of what he brings to Colorado.

Colorado is expected to use Kulak as a reliable third-pairing option or an injury fill-in, with the benefit of his familiarity playing in the Western Conference. His pending free-agent status and cap hit were elements that shaped the transaction for all teams involved.

Penguins receive Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick

In return, the Penguins acquire Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick. Girard has been a long-tenured member of Colorado’s defense corps and was viewed internally as a puck-moving option with top-four potential. He predates both of Colorado’s star defense partners mentioned in team plans and was the Avalanche’s longest-tenured defenseman after his arrival from Nashville in 2017.

Early in his Colorado tenure Girard saw heavy minutes and earned a multi-year contract extension. The Penguins are adding a puck-moving defender with experience in significant minutes, plus draft capital, as they recalibrate their roster this swap.

Context, cap dynamics and next steps

This trade reflects short-term roster needs and cap considerations cited during prior moves that involved Kulak. Colorado has been active in the market and is characterized here as a buyer entering the deadline window. For Pittsburgh, the acquisition of a puck mover and a future second-round pick represents a strategic adjustment to shore up a top-end pairing with a player who has previously logged top-four minutes.

Key items to monitor in the coming days: how Colorado integrates Brett Kulak into its defensive group, whether the Penguins adjust pairings to make immediate use of Samuel Girard’s puck-moving ability, and any subsequent roster moves that might follow this exchange. Market activity is described as heating up ahead of the deadline, so further transactions remain possible and details may evolve.

Timeline and transaction summary

• Trade executed: Penguins receive Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick in exchange for Brett Kulak.
• Background move: Kulak had arrived in Pittsburgh in an earlier deal that also brought Stuart Skinner and a 2029 second-round pick to the team in a trade that sent Tristan Jarry to another club.
• Contract status: Brett Kulak is a pending UFA with a $2. 75 million cap hit through 2025-26.

Recent updates indicate the transaction is complete; details may continue to develop as teams finalize roster and salary-cap paperwork.