Overview
- Pittsburgh receives Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick from Colorado, with Brett Kulak going to the Avalanche, a swap confirmed by both teams and Penguins GM Kyle Dubas.
- Girard, 27, is under contract at a $5 million AAV through 2026–27 with a modified no-trade clause, while Kulak, 32, carries a $2.75 million cap hit in the final season before unrestricted free agency.
- Kyle Dubas said the Penguins now hold 34 picks over the next four drafts, including 20 selections in the first three rounds, after adding Colorado’s 2028 second-rounder.
- Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland described Kulak as a two-way, playoff-experienced defender, and Colorado gains added roster and cap flexibility ahead of the trade deadline.
- Girard leaves after nine seasons and a 2022 Stanley Cup in Colorado, logging 12 points in 40 games this season with reduced ice time following an early upper-body injury, while Kulak is on his third team of the season and averaged over 20 minutes in Pittsburgh.