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Sam Girard injury update: Penguins defenseman under evaluation after recent trade acquisition
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
PenguinsPR reports Sam Girard won't practice while a lower-body injury gets evaluated, and the Pittsburgh Penguins blue line suddenly feels thin and shaky.
This is the nightmare timing part. Pittsburgh just acquired Girard, and the whole point was to stabilize the puck-moving side of the defense right away.
The trade was simple and bold. The Penguins sent Brett Kulak to Colorado and brought in Girard plus a 2028 second-round pick.
Girard is 27, a 2016 second-rounder, drafted 47th overall by the Nashville Predators. He's also signed through 2026-27 with a $5 million cap hit.
That contract matters because it screams "plan," not "rental." You do not take that on unless you expect the guy to play meaningful minutes.
Here's the post that started the worry.
The wording is the key. "Evaluation" usually means the team wants imaging, clarity, and a real timeline before it labels him day-to-day.
Girard arrived with 3-9-12 in 41 games this season, plus-12. That is quietly solid production for a defenseman whose job is to move pucks and survive tough shifts.
Sam Girard puts Pittsburgh Penguins depth to the test
Pens fans barely had time to picture his first clean breakout pass, and now we're back in that anxious "who's next" headspace.
If Girard can't go, the coaching staff has to reshuffle pairs, and that has ripple effects. The first pass gets slower, and the forecheck pressure starts winning more pucks.
It also changes the man advantage options. Even if he's not the top quarterback, he's a clean outlet that keeps second units from getting pinned.
Pittsburgh has played strong hockey at 30-15-12, but the next stretch is about surviving details. A banged-up blue line can turn one bad period into a spiral.
The silver lining is the trade deadline is close, and Kyle Dubas has already shown he'll act. The bad news is the Penguins just paid to avoid exactly this kind of stress.
If this is short-term, fine, tape it up and move on. If it lingers, Girard's "new opportunity" in Pittsburgh starts with a hard pause.
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FEVRIER 27|99 ANSWERS Sam Girard injury update: Penguins defenseman under evaluation after recent trade acquisition Should Sam Girard sit until he's fully healthy? | ||
| Yes | 87 | 87.9 % |
| No | 12 | 12.1 % |
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