Avalanche Rumors: One Name Keeps Resurfacing In Trade Rumors

Thursday, June 05, 2025
Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar on the bench during 2025 playoff game.

Once again, Samuel Girard is at the center of Colorado Avalanche trade speculation. 

Despite being a reliable top-four defenseman on a team-friendly $5 million cap hit through 2026–27, Girard’s name resurfaces because of his status as the No. 3 blueliner behind Cale Makar and Devon Toews. His smaller frame (5'10", 170 lbs) and the narrative that the Avs need more grit on the back end only add fuel to the fire. 

But moving a puck-moving defenseman with value on both special teams and a manageable contract isn't as easy—or as wise—as it may sound.

Trading Girard Could Backfire in a Rising Cap Era

As Corey Masisak of The Denver Post outlines, trading Girard means finding an equally talented replacement—likely at a much higher price. The going rate for defensemen has skyrocketed, with Neal Pionk, Jakob Chychrun, and Marcus Pettersson all signing deals far pricier than Girard’s. 

While Pettersson might've been a solid replacement, he's now locked in at $5.5 million, and other left-shot options like Vladislav Gavrikov, Ivan Provorov, and Dmitry Orlov are projected to command $6–7.5 million per year. In this inflated market, Girard’s contract looks like a steal, especially for a team with limited cap room like the Avs.

Cap Space and Tough Decisions Loom for Colorado

With Brock Nelson’s new $7.5M deal and a handful of pending RFAs and UFAs, including Sam Malinski, Jonathan Drouin, and Ryan Lindgren, the Avalanche are tight against the cap. Even re-signing key depth players could prove challenging. If GM Chris MacFarland wants to reshape the defense’s bottom four, he may need to offload salary, but dealing Girard could create a bigger hole than it fills. 

Unless Colorado has a sure-fire replacement lined up or plans to pursue a lower-cost defender like Nicolas Hague, moving Girard might solve one issue only to create another.

Photo Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

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