Avalanche Acquire Veteran Defenseman Brett Kulak in Trade

Colorado adds depth to already-stacked blue line by trading away Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick.

Feb. 25, 2026 at 12:19am

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The Colorado Avalanche have acquired veteran defenseman Brett Kulak from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for blueliner Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round draft pick. The move bolsters the Avalanche's already-dominant defensive corps as they make a push for the Stanley Cup.

Why it matters

The Avalanche are already one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year, and this trade further strengthens their defensive unit, which was already considered one of the best in the NHL. Adding Kulak's defensive prowess gives Colorado even more depth and versatility on the back end as they aim to capture their second championship in three seasons.

The details

In the deal, the Avalanche are sending defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick to the Penguins in exchange for Kulak, who has a $2.75 million salary cap hit. The trade gives Colorado around $8.7 million in salary cap space, which could allow them to make additional moves before the trade deadline. If Kulak performs well during his audition, the Avalanche have the cap flexibility to potentially re-sign him to a contract extension this offseason.

  • The trade was completed on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
  • The NHL trade deadline is on March 6, 2026.

The players

Chris MacFarland

General manager of the Colorado Avalanche.

Brett Kulak

A 29-year-old defenseman acquired by the Avalanche from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Samuel Girard

A 24-year-old defenseman traded by the Avalanche to the Penguins.

Kyle Dubas

General manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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What they’re saying

“Acquiring Kulak helps Colorado on a number of fronts, and MacFarland now has sufficient cap space to make more big moves.”

— Adam Proteau, Author

“If Kulak signs an extension, all Avs defensemen except for veteran Burns will be signed through 2026-27. That cost certainty was likely why Colorado was comfortable surrendering two assets for Kulak.”

— Adam Proteau, Author

What’s next

The Avalanche will have the remainder of the 2025-26 season to evaluate Kulak's fit with the team, and they will have the opportunity to re-sign him to a contract extension this offseason if he performs well.

The takeaway

This trade is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Avalanche, as they have added a veteran defenseman in Kulak to bolster their already-stacked blue line without giving up any core pieces. Colorado has positioned itself as the team to beat in the NHL with this savvy acquisition.