Sam Girard didn't fit in super well with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the end of last season. Will the 2026-27 season be any different?
Some people were a little caught off guard when the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired defenseman Sam Girard from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for fellow defenseman Brett Kulak this past February.
Yes, Kulak was a pending free agent at the time, but he was playing well with Kris Letang before he was moved for Girard. Girard was immediately put with Letang after the trade, and the two mixed like oil and water.
They couldn't get into a groove, and a big part of that is because they were trying to do the same things. They didn't complement each other well at all.
There's a chance that Penguins head coach Dan Muse will give that pairing a second chance when the 2026-27 season starts, but I am not convinced it will get any better. Yes, Girard's had a full offseason to learn the system and get healthy, but I think pairing him with Letang again is too risky.
I'd be more inclined to see how Girard does with Kaedan Korczak since he's more of a defense-first defenseman. He put up some strong results in a depth role with the Vegas Golden Knights before he was dealt to the Penguins.
Girard and Korczak could start the season on the third pair, allowing Declan Carlile and Kris Letang to potentially duo on the second pair. Having one defenseman who's more of an offense-first defenseman on a pair with a defense-first defenseman is the way to go. The pairs are more balanced that way.
Girard will contribute offensively at 5v5, and I can definitely see him finishing the year with 20-30 points. He's been in that range since making his NHL debut during the 2017-18 season.
Don't be surprised if he quarterbacks the second power-play unit at times, either. Girard has played a ton of minutes on the PP during his career and could be a viable option if Letang struggles on that unit.
Girard definitely struggled last year, but will have plenty of opportunities to show that he is better than that this year.
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