Samuel Girard

Samuel Girard

27-Year-Old DefensemanD
Pittsburgh Penguins
2025 Stats
G
3
A
15
PP Pts
0
+/-
18
PIM
23
ROS Projections
G
A
PP Pts
+/-
PIM
Unlock Our Projections
2025 Fantasy Outlook
It felt like Girard could pop after the Avalanche traded away Bowen Byram at the trade deadline in the 2023-24 season. However, Girard has posted 42 points in 132 regular-season games over the last two seasons, just five more than his career year in 2022-23. Part of it is his power-play time has gone down since Cale Makar arrived, bumping Girard to the second unit. The 27-year-old averaged just 43 seconds per game on the power play in 2024-25, and rarely featured in that situation during the Avalanche's first-round playoff exit. The eight-year veteran will have to try to rediscover some of the offense that made him a valuable piece on the third pair and translate it to his spot on the second pair. If he can do that, the 30-point plateau is within reach yet again, though Girard's offense could be negatively affected by Colorado's signing of Brent Burns. Read Past Outlooks
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Overall
#Subscriber-Only
Defenseman
Shoots Left
Height 5'10"
DOB 5/12/1998
Born Roberval, Canada
Drafted 2nd Rd, #47 Overall in 2016
Signed a seven-year, $35 million contract extension with the Avalanche in July of 2019.
Dishes pair of helpers
DPittsburgh Penguins
April 3, 2026
Girard notched two assists and six blocked shots in Thursdays' 6-3 loss to the Lightning.
ANALYSIS
Girard has earned five assists over eight games since he returned from an upper-body injury. The defenseman is now at 17 points, 39 shots on net, 53 blocked shots, 21 PIM and a plus-15 rating across 55 appearances between the Penguins and the Avalanche this season. Girard is playing in a top-four role for the Penguins, but he hasn't unseated Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang for power-play minutes.
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2025–26 Time On Ice Stats
  • Average Time On Ice:
    17:41
  • Average Power Play TOI:
    0:04
  • Average Short-Handed TOI:
    1:02
  • Average Time On Ice:
    18:56
  • Average Power Play TOI:
    0:09
  • Average Short-Handed TOI:
    0:51
 
Ice Time
Power Play
Short-Handed
2023–24
19:23
0:48
1:56
2024–25
20:51
0:43
1:27
2025–26
17:41
0:04
1:02
2025–26
18:56
0:09
0:51
Penguins Depth Chart
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Penguins Power Play Depth Chart
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Girard missed significant time last season. He was out for more than a month early in the year after entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and then missed time late in the year with a concussion. He did return to appear in Colorado's final nine postseason games. Still 26 just years old, Girard is a solid offensive defenseman. He would likely have some fantasy value if he was able to snag a role on Colorado's vaunted No. 1 power-play unit, but with the likes of Cale Makar and Devon Toews around, that seems unlikely to happen. As is, Girard is nothing more than a depth guy, typically good for about five goals and 30 points over the course of a full season.
Girard has been banged up in the past so it was nice to see him remain healthy most of last season. He played in 76 of Colorado's 82 regular-season games, posting career-best marks in goals (6), assists (31), points (37), shots on goal (119), hits (67) and blocks (116). Girard added eight points with the man advantage. It's clear as day that the 2016 second-rounder (47th overall) would thrive in a larger role, but with the likes of Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Bowen Byram around, that bump in usage won't be forthcoming. As is, Girard is nothing more than a late-round fantasy guy.
Girard was bitten by the injury bug for the first time in his brief NHL career a season ago. He missed about a month in the middle of the year due to a lower-body issue before suffering a broken sternum early in Game 3 of Colorado's second-round playoff series against the Blues, which sidelined him for the remainder of the Avalanche's run to the Stanley Cup. All told, Girard appeared in 67 regular-season games, posting five goals and 28 points. The 24-year-old is a legitimate top-four NHL defender and a major asset with the man advantage, but his fantasy ceiling will be forever capped as long as Cale Makar remains healthy. Girard is nothing more than a late-round dart throw in your draft this fall.
Let Cale Makar take the spotlight on the Avalanche's blue line -- Girard is just fine going under the radar. The 23-year-old chipped in 32 points (five goals, 27 assists) in just 48 games last season while seeing 23:13 of ice time per game. The Quebec native is a capable puck-mover in his own right on a team with no shortage of talented defensemen. Over the course of a full season, Girard should be able to surpass 40 points with a chance at 50-plus. He's also good for a blocked shot per game and some second-unit power-play production, with a chance to step into a significant role should Makar be sidelined for any reason.
Girard had his best season yet in 2019-20, tying his career highs in goals (four) and power-play points (13) while setting a new personal best in assists (30) in 70 games. The 21-year-old is locked into a top-four role and a spot on the Avalanche's second power-play unit heading into 2020-21 - he averaged 21:19 of ice time per contest last year. Girard should only continue to improve in his fourth full NHL season, which means a five-goal, 40-point pace is certainly in reach. That sort of production will make him a solid fourth or fifth option at defense for virtual managers and worthy of a mid-to-late round pick in this year's drafts.
Girard is locked in as a top-pairing defenseman for the Avalanche. Last season, the Quebec native converted four goals on 116 shots, and he supplied 23 assists -- including nine on the power play. An upper-body injury limited Girard in the playoffs, but he found his way once he had the chance to partner with rookie sensation Cale Makar in the conference semifinal series against the Sharks. Since Tyson Barrie has taken his talents to Toronto, this figures to be the year that Girard averages more than 20 minutes of ice time. There should be a lot of attention on the 21-year-old since he procured a seven-year, $35 million contract, but consider taking the bait if it looks like he'll slip to the late rounds of fantasy drafts.
Part of a blockbuster deal that sent Matt Duchene to the Senators last season, Girard immediately stepped into a contributing role for the Avalanche in 2017-18. The rookie dished out 17 assists in his first NHL campaign, adding three goals of his own to finish the campaign with 20 points. His minus-8 rating suggests Girard has some work to do on the defensive end of the ice, but the 20-year-old should continue to round out the edges as he develops. He remains a key contributor on the power play, where he notched 12 of his points last season. That will likely remain central to his production in 2018-19.
More Fantasy News
Nabs assist in return
DPittsburgh Penguins
March 22, 2026
Girard logged an assist in Saturday's 5-4 shootout win over the Jets.
ANALYSIS
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Returns to lineup
DPittsburgh Penguins
March 21, 2026
Girard (upper body) will be back in the lineup versus Winnipeg on Saturday,
ANALYSIS
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Still out of action
DPittsburgh Penguins
Upper Body
March 18, 2026
Girard (upper body) won't play Wednesday versus the Hurricanes.
ANALYSIS
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Remains shelved Monday
DPittsburgh Penguins
Upper Body
March 16, 2026
Girard (upper body) will miss Monday's road game against the Avalanche, per Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports.
ANALYSIS
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Ruled out Saturday
DPittsburgh Penguins
Upper Body
March 14, 2026
Girard (upper body) will miss Saturday's clash in Utah, Penguins play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Could return Thursday
DColorado Avalanche
November 13, 2025
Girard, who has missed the last 15 games with an upper-body injury, could return to the lineup versus Buffalo on Thursday, per Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette.
ANALYSIS
Girard has played in only two games this season, but he has yet to find the scoresheet. The 27-year-old defenseman could replace Ilya Solovyov in the lineup upon his return.
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