Just two days after being traded from the Colorado Avalanche, Sam Girard is already sidelined, leaving the Pittsburgh Penguins facing uncertainty about their newest addition.
If you’re the Colorado Avalanche, you’re probably exhaling.
If you’re the Pittsburgh Penguins, you might be staring at the trade paperwork wondering whether you just got fleeced.
A Trade That Turned Fast
Sam Girard — moved just two days ago from Colorado to Pittsburgh in exchange for defenseman Brett Kulak and a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Entry Draft — lasted exactly one game in black and gold before being sidelined with what the Penguins are calling a lower-body injury.
It’s a brutal twist for a team that believed it had just solidified its blue line.
Girard did not practice with Pittsburgh on Friday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, as the team announced he is being evaluated. Head coach Dan Muse said Girard will travel with the club to New York ahead of Saturday afternoon’s matchup against the Rangers but did not provide additional details.
The uncertainty is what stings most. There’s no timeline. No clarity. Just another pause.
Girard skated on the left side alongside veteran defenseman Kris Letang in Thursday’s 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
In his Penguins debut, he logged 17:53 of ice time, finishing with one shot on goal and four blocked shots. It wasn’t flashy, but it was steady — the kind of transitional, puck-moving presence Pittsburgh hoped would complement Letang and stabilize the top four.
Instead, that pairing may already be on hold.
The Familiar Concern: Durability
For as impactful as Girard has been over the years with the Avalanche, availability has consistently been the underlying concern.
He has played all 82 regular-season games just once in his career, during the 2018-19 season in Colorado. This season alone, this marks the third time he has been sidelined by injury.
That pattern isn’t lost on either organization.
Girard was a regular at Colorado’s optional offseason skates before suddenly disappearing from the ice. He later resurfaced at an injured skate with what was reported as a lower-body issue.
He recovered in time to start the regular season opener on Oct. 7 against the Los Angeles Kings, but lasted just two games before suffering an upper-body injury that landed him on injured reserve and forced him to miss 15 games.
Now, one game into his Penguins tenure, he finds himself in limbo once again.
For Colorado, the timing of the trade may feel increasingly fortunate. For Pittsburgh, the gamble is already being tested.
This appears to be yet another victory for the "Trust CMac" crew.
