Penguins Acquire Defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 Second-Round Draft Pick from the Colorado Avalanche in Exchange for Brett Kulak
The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Brett Kulak.
Girard, 27, is signed through the 2026-27 season and carries an average annual value of $5 million.
The 2022 Stanley Cup Champion is currently in his ninth NHL season, splitting his career between Colorado and the Nashville Predators. Girard has tallied three goals, nine assists, 12 points and a plus-12 in 40 games this season.
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound defenseman has recorded 37 goals, 198 assists and 235 points in 588 career NHL games. He has also added three goals, 25 assists and 28 points in 67 career playoff games. His best season came in 2022-23 when he set career highs across the board in goals (6), assists (31) and points (37) in 76 games with the Avalanche.
Prior to turning professional, Girard played three seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Shawinigan Cataractes from 2014-17. During his junior career, he registered 24 goals, 168 assists and 192 points in 190 games. Girard earned QMJHL league-wide honors in each of his three seasons, including Defensive Rookie of the Year (2015), Defenseman of the Year (2016), Most Sportsmanlike Player (2016) and First All-Star Team Honors (2016 & ’17).
The Roberval, Quebec native was drafted in the second round (47th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators.
Pittsburgh now has 34 draft picks over the next four NHL drafts, which includes 20 selections in the first three rounds. No team has more selections over the first three rounds in the next four drafts than the Penguins.
