Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram has shifted back to the left paired with Josh Manson while Samuel Girard is away from the team receiving care in the NHL/NHLPA's Player Assistance Program. The last game Samuel Girard played was the 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars on Nov. 18 at American Airlines Center. The defenseman then left the team for personal reasons [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche/featured/avalanche-defenseman-sam-girard-out-for-personal-reasons], per head coach Jared Bednar. Girard had just scored his first goal of the season the game before against the Anaheim Ducks at Ball Arena. The 25-year-old was scratched the previous game to that one against the Seattle Kraken. "I'm pretty happy with the way I'm playing. Couple bad bounces at times. I been playing pretty good," Girard told The Hockey News' Colleen Flynn after practice on Nov. 17 before the team headed to Dallas. It was unknown as to why Girard left the team until Friday [https://thehockeynews.com/news/avalanches-samuel-girard-to-receive-care-from-nhl-nhlpa-player-assistance-program]. On Wednesday, Flynn asked Bowen Byram about playing with Josh Manson [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche/news/should-be-a-really-good-test-avalanche-face-challenge-against-canucks] in Girard's absence. "He's (Girard) a big part of our team and we're going to miss him," Byram said. "All the guys back on the D-core really got to tighten things up to make up for him while he's gone." Byram shifted from the left to the right when Bednar paired him with Girard, so being back on the left has been an easy adjustment for the 22-year-old defenseman. Caleb Jones was added to the lineup before the Kraken game on Nov. 13 and has played in the last six games. He was acquired just before the season started from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward Callahan Burke. "I think Jonesy's (Jones) played really well," Byram said on Wednesday. "He skates well, he moves the puck really well. He plays physical. It's been fun playing with him and watching him play." Girard is in his seventh season with the Avalanche after being traded by the Nashville Predators on Nov. 5, 2017. In 426 games played with Colorado, he has notched 185 points and helped the Avs on the road to win the Stanley Cup in 2022 before being sidelined from a broken sternum in the second round against the St. Louis Blues. The Roberval, Que. native released a statement [https://x.com/CAAHockey/status/1728197585071177783?s=20] through his agent's company after the announcement was made which — in part — said he's taking care of his mental health as he's suffered from "severe anxiety and depression that has gone untreated for too long and led to alcohol abuse." Jones will most likely remain with the team while Girard is gone and the team may seek to acquire another defenseman to add to the roster.
