DENVER — Sam Girard has a reason to smile today. The Colorado Avalanche have officially activated the defenseman from injured reserve. Sam Girard scores in overtime to give the Avalanche a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on November 11, 2024. The 27-year-old defenseman has been sidelined since October 11, absent from the past 15 contests. In the two games preceding his injury, Girard registered three hits and three blocked shots before a check into the boards resulted in an upper-body injury. There had been hope that Girard might be available as early as this past weekend, when the team embarked on a two-game road trip to face the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. However, he was ruled out for the series—a decision that, in hindsight, was likely wise given the challenges he’s faced over the past few months. His return is expected to provide a substantial boost to the defensive corps, particularly in puck movement and offensive transitions. INJURY WOES Girard was a fixture at the team’s optional skates throughout August, bringing his usual energy and dedication to the ice. But after August 17, his absence from regular practices started to raise eyebrows. While he was still seen around the facility, he was no longer participating with the full group, fueling speculation that he might be dealing with an injury. Those suspicions were confirmed when Girard joined a skate for injured players, sporting a red non-contact jersey. The Avalanche later confirmed he was rehabbing a lower-body injury that popped up during the summer. Unfortunately, his misfortune continued when he suffered the second injury. Hopefully this is the end of what has been a tumultuous series of months for the 27-year-old Girard, who has tallied 223 points (34 goals, 189 assists) in 550 career NHL games, 545 of them coming with the Avalanche. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/14f54dee-b4b2-4b81-aa2c-e4cd3caf8ef3.jpeg] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
