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Sam Girard logs 17:41 in Penguins debut, Muse highlights pressure poise
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Post-Gazette insider King Jemison says Sam Girard's Pittsburgh Penguins debut was quiet, but Dan Muse loved the calm, and this blue line needs it.
Muse's line jumped off the screen: Girard "doesn't get enough credit" defensively, and he's got "ice water in his veins" under pressure.
That's the kind of praise coaches save for guys who don't panic when forechecks get nasty.
Girard arrived from the Colorado Avalanche in the Brett Kulak swap, and Pittsburgh also grabbed a 2028 second-round pick.
On paper, he's not coming in as a points cure-all. He had 3-9-12 in 41 games this season, averaging 17:53 a night.
"I don't think he gets enough credit for some of the plays defensively ... He's got ice water in his veins (with) his ability to make those plays under pressure."
- Dan Muse
- Dan Muse
His first game in black and gold came Thursday against the New Jersey Devils, a 4-1 win that pushed Pittsburgh to 30-15-12.
It wasn't a highlight reel debut, and that's fine.
What mattered was the decision-making, the quick outs, the little shoulder checks before the puck arrived.
Sam Girard gives the Pittsburgh Penguins breathing room
Honestly, Penguins fans are tired of "interesting" defensemen, they want predictable, stress-free shifts when games tighten.
Muse sounded like he saw exactly that, even if it didn't show up on the scoresheet.
Kyle Dubas also talked about Girard playing higher in the lineup, and using both special teams.
The early fit to watch is the partner rotation around Kris Letang, because Girard worked with him in practice right away.
If Girard can move pucks cleanly, Erik Karlsson doesn't have to force every breakout by himself.
With Sidney Crosby sidelined, the margin shrinks, and a defenseman who stays calm under heat suddenly feels like a deadline-style add.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Martin Necas makes admission on six-skater goal vs Canada, the game that Sidney Crosby left hurt
Martin Necas makes admission on six-skater goal vs Canada, the game that Sidney Crosby left hurt
Previously on HockeyUnplugged
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 27|97 ANSWERS Sam Girard logs 17:41 in Penguins debut, Muse highlights pressure poise Should Sam Girard stay in the Pittsburgh Penguins top four? | ||
| Yes | 75 | 77.3 % |
| No | 22 | 22.7 % |
| List of polls | ||