Pittsburgh lands Samuel Girard plus a 2028 second-rounder from Colorado in exchange for Brett Kulak, igniting deadline chatter just after the roster freeze lifts. Girard, the steady puck-mover with a $5 million cap hit through next season, slots right into the Penguins' top-four plans alongside vets like Letang. Colorado eyes more defensive grit for their Cup run, but Pittsburgh's draft-pick haul now leads the league over the next four years.

The Penguins pull off a straight defenseman swap with the Avalanche, sending Brett Kulak to Colorado for Samuel Girard right as the Olympic break wraps up. Front offices around the league buzzed about Pittsburgh's need for puck-moving depth on the blue line, and this move fits Kyle Dubas' blueprint perfectly. Girard brings that offensive spark from his Cup-winning days, but what does this mean for Pittsburgh's playoff push in a stacked Metro?

The Avalanche acquire Brett Kulak from the Penguins in return for Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick, shaking up both rosters post-Olympic break. Kulak's heavy minutes and playoff pedigree make him a plug-and-play fit for Colorado's deep blue line, especially on the PK. Pittsburgh bolsters its attack with Girard's vision, but the real intrigue lies in how these vets mesh amid tight standings.

The Avalanche deal Sam Girard to a Metro Division team, stirring rivalries and blue-line questions in one stroke. Colorado prioritizes defensive muscle over puck movement as the deadline nears, a shift insiders saw brewing. Pittsburgh emerges as the likely landing spot, setting up intriguing divisional tilts down the stretch.

Colorado trades Samuel Girard to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Brett Kulak, a move that caught even the sharpest scouts off guard during deadline rumors. The Avalanche chase blue-line stability with Kulak's ironman streak and penalty-kill prowess, while Pittsburgh gains a battle-tested offensive defender. Both contenders jockey for position, and this swap reshapes their backends heading into the stretch run.

The Avalanche front office quietly grooms internal options to fill the void if Samuel Girard ships out before the deadline, as cap crunches and Cale Makar's extension loom large. With Jared Bednar preaching third-line center upgrades and defensive depth that's one tweak from disaster, these prospects get their shot to prove they're more than placeholders. Colorado knows Girard's $5 million ticket moves the needle for a Cup push, but only if the right pieces slide in seamlessly.