The Colorado Avalanche wasted no time making a trade once the Olympic trade freeze had been lifted. On Tuesday, the team sent defenseman Samuel Girard to the Pittsburgh Penguins and a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft for defenseman Brett Kulak.
There appears to be more beneath the surface for what the Avalanche intends to do in the wake of this deal. Will this be the last move the Avalanche make or are they perhaps preparing to take a much larger swing to improve their roster ahead of the playoffs?
Girard Was Odd-Man Out
The fact that Girard was dealt is not the most shocking thing. In fact, the emergence of Sam Malinski and the minor renaissance that is Brent Burns made Girard expendable. After all, Girard’s 17:41 average ice time is the lowest of his career since his rookie season in 2017-18.
With a $5 million annual average value, the Avalanche would have needed to move on from Girard in order to make a substantial move. Given that Kulak’s deal expires after this season (Girard had one more season left on his contract) and is half the cap hit at $2.5 million, it certainly appears that the Avalanche have freed up space to do something more at the trade deadline.
A Big Swing at Center?
The other issue – not a glaring one, but still an issue – is the situation at third-line center. The Avalanche have been tied to other forward options, but it is perhaps most interesting to see what they will do down the middle after the top two of Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson.
Jack Drury may be more ideally suited for the fourth-line center position. Will Logan O’Connor return for the playoffs? The depth there is precarious and injuries will happen in the playoffs. By finding a stronger solution for the third center role, the Avalanche can further strengthen their bottom six.
The biggest names would be Vincent Trochek of the New York Rangers ($5.625 million AAV, three years remaining), Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues (6.5 million AAV, two years remaining), and Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators ($4.5 million AAV, one year remaining).
Any of them would be a massive upgrade over Drury and would have the flexibility to play in the top six if need be. Acquiring any of them would be the kind of move that only solidifies the Avalanche as the favorites to win their fourth Stanley Cup championship.
Avalanche Have Flexibility
The Avalanche had a little room to work with before this move, but trading Girard leaves them with that much more flexibility. As of now, the Avalanche have $8.74 million in cap space. Ross Colton and his $4 million AAV will certainly come up, especially if the Avalanche want to take a bigger swing.
Related: NHL Mock Trade Deadline: 8 Win-Win Deals
There are worse positions to be in than sitting atop the standings and with options to bolster their roster. Giving up more draft capital doesn’t feel like the greatest thing, but the pick is in 2028 which is something of a solace.