At Family Sports Center, the reaction to Samuel Girard being traded by the Colorado Avalanche was a calm, reflective understanding that in hockey, even meaningful chapters can end quietly.

Girard had been the longest-tenured defenseman on the Avalanche roster, but that changed Tuesday morning. Just before departing for Utah for their first game after the Olympic break, Colorado reshaped its blue line, trading Girard and a 2028 second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Brett Kulak. Acquired in 2017 as part of the Matt Duchene blockbuster, Girard quickly became a fixture on the Avalanche defense.

Now, that era is officially over. When Girard first arrived in Colorado following the trade from Nashville, he was a 19-year-old kid. Nearly a decade later, he departs as more than just a hockey player and a Stanley Cup champion — he’s also a husband and a father.

For Landeskog, Girard’s departure is bittersweet — a moment to acknowledge the player’s growth, the person he’s become, and the impact he’s had on the team over nearly a decade.

"I'm gonna miss G, no doubt, first and foremost," he stated. "His personality, and him as a player, he's been here for a long time.

"I still remember when he first got here, he was a young little pup, and now he's not. He's got a family of his own and he's grown so much and been on a heck of a journey, so all the respect to G in the world, and I'm sure he's gonna do great (in Pittsburgh)."

But at the end of the day, it’s a business, and both sides of the deal stand to benefit. Girard gets an opportunity to rebuild his stature on a team in transition, while Kulak, a three-time Stanley Cup finalist, brings the physical presence the Avalanche have been seeking on their blue line for the past few seasons.

"We've been through this plenty of times," Landeskog added. "We're going to welcome Brett Kulak with open arms and we're excited to have him. He adds an element to our team that gives us a lot of flexibility on our back end with the roster."

Josh Manson also touched on Girard and shared similar sentiments to Landeskog.

"Big part of this team and the success they've had for a long time, so it's sad. But hopefully, (a) fresh opportunity for him and he's hopefully excited about it."

Manson’s father, Dave — a former NHL player who skated for seven different teams — coached Kulak as an assistant with the Edmonton Oilers from February 10, 2022, to November 20, 2023, working closely with him during that time.

"I think that's exciting for us; he's a good player, been in the playoffs, and I think (he's) been to the Finals three times now. I've heard he's a great guy. It'll be nice to welcome him in here and get him a part of the group."

Sam Malinski, who spent a good chunk of the season with Girard as his linemate on the third line, also chimed in.

"He (made) the game easy for me at least. He can just skate the puck out of tough situations and there's a lot of times where I just let him go and that was super nice. His play speaks for (itself). Obviously just kind of fun to watch and play with him."

In parts of nine seasons with the Avalanche, Girard won a Stanley Cup as a member of the 2021–22 team and finished his career in Denver with 36 goals and 196 assists for a total of 232 points in 582 games played.

For Colorado, Girard’s departure marks the end of an era — but it also opens the door to welcome Kulak’s talents and continue building toward another Stanley Cup run for a team whose window is far from closed.