It sure didn’t take long for the recent Brett Kulak-to-the-Avs-for-Samuel Girard swap, which I wasn’t in favor of, to sprout warts.
Apparently, the newcomer is being evaluated for a lower-body injury sustained during last night’s victory over the Devils. Girard logged 17:53 of ice time while skating next to Kris Letang in his Penguins debut. To his credit, he blocked a team-best four shots but also committed a team-high three giveaways. The latter perhaps a result of being thrust into a new and unfamiliar system.
The 5’10” 170-pounder (who looks smaller on the ice) has a checkered health history. He missed 15 games at the outset of this season with an upper-body injury sustained in training camp.
In addition, he suffered a broken sternum during the 2022 playoffs, along with various other ailments through the years.
If Girard’s a no-go for this weekend’s tilts with the Rangers and Golden Knights, I imagine fellow ex-Av Ilya Solovyov will re-enter the lineup on the third pairing next to Connor Clifton, bumping Ryan Shea up to the second pairing with Letang.
Not that I’m happy Girard might be hurt or miss time, but I just feel better having a bigger man (Solovyov goes 6’3” 208) in the lineup. I think it makes us more balanced on the blue line and gives us a more optimal blend of skill and physicality.
My two cents, for what it’s worth.