NHL Trade: Colorado Avalanche Send Samuel Girard to Pittsburgh Penguins for Brett Kulak

The Colorado Avalanche made the first major splash of the 2026 NHL trade deadline season on Tuesday, February 24, trading longtime blueliner Samuel Girard to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for veteran defenseman Brett Kulak and cap flexibility heading into the playoffs.

The Samuel Girard to Penguins Trade — Full Details

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche swapped defensemen ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. The Penguins are trading Brett Kulak to the Avalanche in exchange for Samuel Girard and a second-round pick in the 2028 draft.

Colorado sent Samuel Girard, the longest-tenured member of the defense corps, to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Brett Kulak. The Avs also included a 2028 second-round pick in the deal. "I think hopefully it's a good trade for our team, and it's a good trade for Girard," Avs coach Jared Bednar said. "G's been an unbelievable teammate, a great player for this organization."

Why Colorado Traded Samuel Girard — The Cap Space Move

Colorado isn't just acquiring a reliable, stay-at-home veteran in Kulak — they are buying ultimate financial flexibility. Girard carries a $5 million cap hit through the end of next season, whereas Kulak's $2.75 million deal expires this summer.

By moving on from Girard, a player whose name has circled the rumor mill for years, the Avalanche clear a crucial $2.25 million in cap space for the stretch run and beyond. In Kulak, Colorado gets a highly reliable, battle-tested defender who rarely makes mistakes and brings deep playoff experience. He provides a sturdier, more defensive-minded presence on the left side to balance out Colorado's heavily offensive blue line.

Samuel Girard's Legacy With the Colorado Avalanche

Girard, 27, departs as one of the most accomplished defensemen in franchise history. The Quebecois totaled 232 points in 583 career games, ranking fourth among Avalanche/Nordiques defensemen in games played. The deal ends Girard's nine-season tenure in Colorado — a run that included the 2022 Stanley Cup championship.

Girard arrived in Denver from Nashville via a blockbuster three-team trade on November 5, 2017, the same trade that sent Matt Duchene to Ottawa and netted a draft pick that became Bowen Byram. It was a franchise-altering deal and a huge part of Colorado's eventual rise and run to the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Who Is Brett Kulak? What the Avalanche Are Getting

Kulak brings exactly what the Avalanche need for a grueling postseason: boring, predictable, mistake-free hockey. Across 56 games split between Edmonton and Pittsburgh this season, Kulak has posted one goal and eight assists while eating up a highly respectable 18:53 of ice time per night. He is a 12-year NHL veteran who has played high-stakes playoff minutes with the Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, and Oilers.

Kulak has made the Cup Final three times — with Montreal in 2021 and Edmonton in each of the past two seasons. He was second on the Oilers in average ice time during the 2025 playoff run, logging 23:25 per game in part because Edmonton didn't have Mattias Ekholm for 15 of the 22 contests.

What the Penguins Get: Why Pittsburgh Won This Trade

Girard is much younger at 27 and is a good skating, puck-moving defender who kills penalties and can run a power play. This season, Girard is averaging over 17 minutes per game at 17:41, with 12 points (3-9-12) in 40 games.

Pittsburgh receiving a second-round pick in 2028 also adds to a collection of draft capital that will see the franchise own 16 picks in the first three rounds between 2026 and 2028.

After the last two trades, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas turned Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin into Stuart Skinner, Samuel Girard, and two second-round picks. That level of asset management is something many front offices across the league are watching closely.

NHL Trade Deadline 2026 — What It Means for Colorado

The Avalanche entered the Olympic break with an NHL-best 83 points, and Kulak now joins the team with the expectation he can help Colorado win a second Stanley Cup since 2022. The NHL trade deadline is set for March 6, 2026, and the Avalanche — armed with new cap space — are widely expected to be active buyers in the days ahead. Colorado hosts the Utah Mammoth tomorrow night, where they are currently listed as 52.9% favorites.