Samuel Girard

Sam Girard’s 2025-26 review does not read like the kind of tidy report card fans love to skim and move on from. There are the usual numbers and the obvious on-ice snapshots, but the real story lives in the gaps - the usage, the role, and the way a defenseman can still shape a season without hogging the spotlight. PensBurgh’s review digs into what Girard actually gave the Penguins this year, and that kind of detail usually tells you more than a raw stat line ever will.

The Penguins are apparently in the part of the evaluation cycle where the polite version of the message is that more has to come from Sam Girard. That is front-office code for a player who has tools, but not enough consistency to make the staff comfortable yet. In this league, “more” can mean minutes, rebound control, five-on-five impact, or just not forcing coaches to squint at the usage chart. Pittsburgh is looking for a bigger return, and Girard is right in the middle of that conversation.