Latest report hints at Avalanche player nearing the end of his time in Colorado
Photo credit: The Canadian Press
A new report indicates that Avalanche star defenseman Samuel Girard could be nearing the end of his tenure in Colorado, hinting that his time with the team may soon be coming to a close.
Girard's name has been linked to multiple trade rumours throughout the offseason.
Samuel Girard nearing the end in Colorado.
Ryan Womeldorf from The Hockey Writers reports that while the Avalanche appear content with their current roster for now, one player stands out as the most likely trade candidates as the season moves forward, and his name is Samuel Girard.
"At the heart of virtually every issue the Avalanche have is a tight salary cap situation. Even after the trade and re-signing Brock Nelson and Joel Kiviranta, the Avalanche have just $2 million in cap space to work with. For contenders looking to make improvements to their roster late in the season, that's not likely enough to get the job done." -Womeldorf
Girard comes with a considerable $5 million cap hit for both this season and the next, and the Avalanche still face the pressing task of deciding whether to re-sign star forward Martin Necas in the near future.
Why Girard is the most obvious candidate to be moved
The primary factor is the previously mentioned Necas contract. While the Avalanche could choose to trade him this season for other assets, it's crucial to keep elite talent alongside MacKinnon. He's in his prime, competing for scoring titles, and requires a top-tier winger to maximize his impact.
"Girard is also potentially expendable because of the rest of the Avalanche defense. Makar and Devon Toews comprise one of the best defensive pairings in the league. They eat huge minutes virtually every night as it is. Brent Burns may be 40, but he still logged quality minutes last season. Josh Manson - when healthy - brings an edge no one else does. Even Sam Malinski looked solid last season." -Womeldorf
For all of those reasons, parting ways with Girard might be less damaging than it appears. While he's a dependable puck-moving defenseman, his $5 million cap hit could be allocated more effectively elsewhere. At the very least, he could serve as a valuable trade chip to address other needs when the deadline approaches.
"Between the need to re-sign Necas before next offseason and the looming contract extension for Makar, the Avalanche will need to move a piece or two ahead of next offseason. Girard, solid as he may be, looks like the one most likely to be the odd man out." -Womeldorf
We'll see how it all unfolds in the near future.
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