The NHL and the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) have announced that Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard has entered the Player Assistance Program. This will make Girard unavailable indefinitely, but will still be paid, as per the rules of the joint program.
“Under the terms of the joint program, Girard will continue to be paid while receiving treatment. He will return to the Club when cleared for on-ice competition by the program administrators,”
Girard, the 25-year-old, has been out of action since Nov. 18 against the Dallas Stars, with coach Jared Bednar saying the defenseman was out last game for personal reasons, where he registered one assist. Girard has looked good defensively this season and has posted four points in 15 games.
Earlier in the day, Tony Girard posted on social media that his son is receiving proper care. He also requested privacy for his son.
Girard so Far in His Career
The versatile offensive defenseman was originally drafted 47th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. After playing in just five games with the Predators, he was later traded to the Avalanche in a massive three-team trade, which included the Ottawa Senators’ acquisition of Matt Duchene in 2017.
After the trade, Girard was a critical fixture with Colorado and its defensive corps and made a noticeable impact, scoring 20 points in 68 games to finish the 2017-18 season. Since then, he has been solid, registering 34 points in 70 games in the 2019-20 season, and went on to nearly match that in just 48 games in 2020-21, the season that was shortened due to COVID-19.
Girard has been bounced around the defense pairings, as he has never been able to lock into a particular spot in the lineup. The top pairing of Cale Makar and Devon Toews is a foreseeable lock with Toews’s recent contract extension and giving young prospect Bowen Byram time and room to grow since he has been back from his own time in the Player Association Program dealing with his issues.
Currently, the bottom defensive pairing for the team is comprised of veteran Jack Johnson and Caleb Jones, who was recently called up from the American Hockey League (AHL). While the duo has been defensively sound, with a combined plus-six on the ice, they lack the offensive prowess that can be provided by Girard. In the last six games, Johnson and Jones have only managed to score three points combined. To address this issue, the team could consider resting Johnson periodically throughout the season or switching up the defensive pairings by removing Jones from the lineup. This might help to bring more offensive firepower to the team with Girard available.
Related: Avalanche Need Girard Now More Than Ever
On July 19, 2019, Girard signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with a cap hit of $5 million. Despite his smaller body frame, he is a flashy defenseman who can easily take advantage of opportunities and still use his body to play the opposition. He is proactive in his defensive efforts, applies pressure on the opposition, and helps to translate the play to the offense with his accurate shot and good eye for seeing passing lanes.
During the 2022 Playoffs that saw the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup, Girard helped the Avalanche from a depth perspective during this unfortunate short run, scoring three points in seven games. He is coming off a career season in 2022-23, where in 76 games, Girard scored six goals and 37 points, reminding him what he’s capable of when healthy and playing at his best.
What the Defense & Team Look Like Going Foward
As of Nov. 24, 2023, the Avalanche have seven defensemen signed to the main roster and have yet to make any call-ups from the American Hockey League (AHL). Girard’s $5 million cap hit will continue to affect the team’s salary cap as usual unless he is placed on long-term injured reserve. That can only happen if he and the team expect him to miss 10 games and 24 days. Until then, the team has $4.175 million in cap space to make any needed moves.
Performance-wise, the team only needs to change the defense if they see something we don’t. Makar is on an absolute hot streak and shows no sign of stopping, especially with him becoming the fastest defenseman to reach 200 assists in just 254 career games. Add in Toews heating up with five points in the last five games and the team is on the right path, and if something isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
The Unfortunate Side Of Hockey
With all the star-studded plays of one-timers, smooth dangles, and flashy glove saves come the gloomy side of unfortunate injuries that can majorly affect a player’s career and health. It’s one thing to see injuries of broken, bruised body parts, but to see a player not only need physical but mental help in his recovery hurts as well. The brain is more difficult to heal than the body, often requiring more than medicine and recovery.
Related: Avalanche’s Byram Faces Crucial Campaign
As stated before, it wasn’t that long ago that Bowen Byram needed the Player Assistance Program to deal with his injuries and issues. From multiple concussions and significant problems coping with COVID-19, many feared for his young career. We all hope that Girard gets the help and care he needs to return to play hockey better than ever and help out this Avalanche team as he’s done these past seven years.
