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Pittsburgh Penguins trade Brett Kulak to Colorado Avalanche, left-shot depth add for the playoff push
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Brett Kulak is heading to the Colorado Avalanche, and the playoff arms race just got louder.
Elliotte Friedman reported the trade Tuesday, with Kulak going to Colorado out of Pittsburgh.
Kulak is 32, a left-shot defender, and he's the kind of steady that coaches trust in ugly minutes.
He was drafted in 2012, fourth round, 105th overall by the Calgary Flames.
The cap hit matters here, $2.75 million, and his deal expires after this season as a UFA in 2026.
If you're Colorado, you see a contender at 37-9-9 and you still want more insulation on the blue line.
Kulak's 2025-26 box score is quiet, 0-2-2 in 31 games, but this isn't a points buy.
Brett Kulak gives the Colorado Avalanche playoff cover
Avs fans have been begging for one more reliable, low-drama defender, not another highlight reel swing.
He closes gaps, kills plays early, and makes the first pass without panic.
That fits Colorado's style, because their attack only works when breakouts stay clean.
It also screams "insurance" for any bumps and bruises that show up in March.
In return, the Penguins get Sam Girard from Colorado.
Either way, this one feels like a coach-driven trade, simple, sturdy, and built for seven games.
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