Every year, talk seems to surface about the Colorado Avalanche potentially trading defenseman Samuel Girard. With limited salary cap flexibility at the moment, the Avalanche are once again facing questions about whether they might move him.
On a recent episode of his podcast, NHL insider Elliott Friedman mentioned that the Avalanche seem content with their current roster. That likely means the team isn’t planning major trades and may instead look for low-cost depth options in free agency. Friedman’s full comments on the subject start around the 49-minute mark of the episode.
Colorado currently has only $1.2 million in cap space. Trading Girard could open up much-needed room, depending on the return they’d receive and the salary involved. Still, there’s no strong indication the Avalanche are actively looking to move him—it remains more of a theoretical possibility than a concrete plan.
Whenever Girard’s name is mentioned in trade speculation, fans are quick to push back. That’s understandable. Supporters often develop emotional ties to players and hate to see them leave. A similar reaction occurred when Mikko Rantanen was traded to Carolina and later landed in Dallas—though the second move wasn’t something the Avalanche could control.
Girard continues to be a major contributor for Colorado. He posted three goals and 21 assists over 73 games this season and ranked third among team defensemen in average ice time (20:51), behind only Cale Makar and Devon Toews. He also averaged the second-most shifts per game and was second on the team in blocked shots (111), again trailing only Makar. These stats show how much trust head coach Jared Bednar places in him and highlight Girard’s willingness to do the gritty, often painful, work of shot-blocking.
Earlier this year, Mile High Sticking’s Aaron Poorman wrote a piece focused on Girard, further emphasizing his value to the team.
Ideally, the Avalanche can retain Girard and still make the necessary roster adjustments by re-signing players like Sam Malinski (RFA), Joel Kiviranta, and possibly Jonathan Drouin. Those signings could fill key roles without putting major pressure on the cap. Malinski and Kiviranta won’t demand big contracts, but whether Drouin will accept another budget deal remains uncertain.
Still, if the Avalanche do end up trading Girard, it would be understandable. They may need to create space to acquire more affordable depth, even if that means making difficult decisions. That’s just part of the business side of professional sports—unpleasant, but sometimes necessary.
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