The second is nice… and I think they threw it in there because of the cap Sam has, but I’m starting to see why a 2nd was included. Doesn’t really seem like he’s fitting in that well.
I kinda wanna see him paired with Shea and sees what happens. Did Dubas do one too many with getting rid of Kulak?
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Dubas was collecting assets for the pending UFA. Good move.
I thinks he’s starting to jell a bit lately honestly. Letang is a bit of an anchor attached to him.
Basically we traded away any stability Letang had for a 2nd round pick
Honestly more of a Letang problem than a Dubas problem
I don’t think Dubas made this trade thinking it made the team better this season but to continue stockpiling assets for the future. As fans, we’re excited about seeing this team in the playoffs and maybe making a surprise run, but Dubas was never going to be “all-in” on this season. He’s staying the course despite being ahead of schedule and that’s the right decision.
Its all about collecting and flipping assets. Last year the Pens waived Jarry, a year later they flip him for Girard and a 2nd. Its better then nothing.
I think Girard has actually been pretty good the last couple of games.
He’d be doing better if letang was willing to adjust his playstyle to his age and ability. Mf is still trying to play like hes 29 and not 38
Time will tell, but Girard play doesn’t fit with Letang. Probably doesn’t fit with Karlsson either for that matter.
I’d say this is an L or a push at best, since we did get a pick too.
Don’t forget Kulak was also not good. You make that trade every time.
All these assets are going to be very useful over a stud Dubas likes becomes available, which will hopefully be in the off-season. Just gotta be a bit more patient. We will be able to outbid everyone if we want and still have assets to spare.
Kulak would have walked at the end of the season. It was a great trade for the second alone, even if Girard bombs.
Kulak wasnt the difference between winning the cup or not. Girard has higher upside and under contract. Kulak leaves for nothing in free agency. Also added another 2nd round pick
It’s actually a great opportunity for Tanger to simplify his game but he isn’t wired that way
IMO – you keep Kulak because he made Letang better. Girard isn’t able to cover up Letang
Yeah, i kinda wish we’d kept Kulak and traded a third or something for Girard (as a replacement for Letang and Karlsson), but it was probably smart to get assets for him – plus there were probably teams like the hawks and canucks who’d have taken Girard as a reclamation project, so maybe Kulak had to involed.
Plyer fit and roles available is why Girard was available (he was fifth on the puck moving side on the Avs behind Makar, Toews, Malinski, and Burns), and Kulak was the type of defensemen who filled the role the Avs needed. Thus the second.
Girard is an interesting fit in Pittsburgh because it’s essentially the same problem. The role he plays is already taken, so he’s either matched with a partner he doesn’t click with, or being asked to do a role he’s not great at.
That said, as the roster evolves he should slot in as the puck mover on the second or third line well.
Where not trying to win so I think it’s good because the second rounder
To me, Gerard is the same player as Tanger and EK. He shouldn’t be paired with Tanger. Tanger needs someone who will play defense, because he’ll always attack first. I don’t think Girard is bad. I think Kulak was a good partner for Letang. Kulak was very Dumo-like.
To me it’s a trade for next year. Girard is a puck moving replacement for 58 on the second pair. They’ll sign someone next year to bump 58 to the 3rd pair
Yes
Girard needs to contribute something on the offensive end. 0 goals, 2 assists since he got here.
And he looks absolutely awful against some of the physical teams. I’m not confident in his ability to play “playoff hockey” in the east, when the refs swallow their whistles.
The conspiracy theorist in me says Letang didn’t want kulak as his partner and possibly used his tenure to make that happen. Kulak made the pairing and the team better so what other reason to move him? Because hes an ufa? We have a team built on short contracts so that story doesn’t hold water. Im speculating that Letang wants to play a certain way and felt that kulaks game wasn’t going to allow that. My 2 cents
Girard is better than Kulak but especially he has way more potential. But his game is different than Kulaks, he’s a puck moving defenseman and is kind of redundant as is. Even at the time, I thought it maybe made us a little worse for this year bc Kulak did pretty well as Letangs anchor. But still, I liked the trade and would do it again in an instant. You get something for Kulak, get a 2nd, and get a player who can help you into the future and who has a lot of potential. Kulak isn’t the difference between a cup or not so it was the right move in the grand scheme of things.
I think it’s a good trade. I don’t think Giard being paired with Letang is helping
I think he’s been our second best defenseman since being acquired. Get him a better partner than Letang next year, and he’ll really shine in a top-4 role. I love Letang, but he’s simply lost too many steps, and he hasn’t adjusted his game adequately to reflect that. He needs to be the offensive side of the third pairing so he can be deployed in more situations that favor him rather than being counted on as a shut down guy.
So yeah, they got a better player for more years. It’s a good trade and the right one to make.
I think he’s been perfectly fine. Ultimately, I think he will show BETTER than Kulak- not taking anything away from Kulak, because they’re way different players- but does it address the end result need we have on the back end? Jury is still out. He’s undersized and not maybe being utilized properly.
Also… his style takes more time to adjust. He’s more exposed when trying to just tread water instead of being the puck movement guy he’s used to being.
We were probably losing Kulak after this year anyways, so you got that 2nd, which I think will be used well.
I talked about this in another thread. The right move for the future to flip a pending UFA for a pick and a guy under contract. Not helpful for this push as Kulak was a good stabilizer. But remember this year was supposed to be a stick to the plan year. But for this season, not the most helpful move. Long term, probably the right call
He just wanted to get rid of one of his expiring contracts. Not a great trade but I understand why he made it
No kulak was leaving anyway.
We’re a rebuilding team. Honestly I don’t think he cooked enough this trade deadline, if he was offered a 1st + for mantha he should of taken it imo
…. Can’t win them all. It fit Dubas’ trade M.O. it just is not working out yet, or maybe ever.
That Colorado 2nd is just another spitball against the wall.
I think, looking back keeping Kulak would have been better… but it fits a Dubas trade…l
Yeah I didn’t like losing Kulak at the time his paring w 58 was excellent Bur rarely does a GM bat 1000 Hopefully the 2 rd pick is a player for us in 3 years
I think imo either way Kulak was leaving, either in FA or by trade. It’s good for us to at least get something for him.
0 takeaways and 12 giveaways in 12 games with Pittsburgh. That’s a really tough stat when you’re trying to make up for Geno and Tanger coughing up the puck every time somebody in the crowd yells too loud. He’s -1, essentially a replacement level player since the trade.
It really seems like more of a nothing trade with each game that goes by. The 60th pick the draft doesn’t really tip the scales that much.
I honestly don’t think we were cup contenders. I don’t mind getting a younger 2nd pairing Dman in Girard with cup experience and the 2nd.
Girard should be in Letang’s spot and Letang should be on the bench or on the 3rd pairing. Girard is a good puck mover we don’t fucking need Letang and King Karlsson it’s annoying to see one of my favourite players be so shit now
I don’t think it’s really fair to judge this one until Girard has a chance to go through a training camp and plays most of a season. Players like him tend to take a little longer to get acclimated to the team before they really settle in.
Once again… playoffs were a nice to have for this season. Kulak fit better for the short term, but wasnt part of the future plans.
Girard is undersized, but his skill set is one thats highly sought after. Hes signed to a multi year deal. Hes young, and he has a high upside. Im fairly confident that Dubas sees him as a guy that will fit well into the system next season and due to performance will have a higher value as a trade piece than a permanent fixture. NEXT year.
Inside that FO, there are no misconceptions. This team isnt winning a cup. They’re not built for a deep playoff run.
Dubas is playing chess. Girard will be moved once his stock rises.
And EK65 may just fetch a kings ransom at 36 years old during next season’s trade deadline. If somehow the Pens have a legitimate shot, then they can eat his remaining contract and let him walk as a UFA.
If we were playing to win this year, Kulak was staying and they wouldn’t have rested on Skinner and Silovs as the goaltenders.
They also had the trade capital to go after a big name forward to fill the void while Crosby was out. Just to guarantee a spot in the post season.
The product youre seeing on the ice this year is going to be drastically different at this time next year. But the goal is still the same. Put a cup worthy team on the ice before Sid hangs them up in 3 or 4 years.
Just a hunch.
Only bad move he’s made this year and I’m not even sure it’s a bad move though since we got a second too
Girard will be the next turd Dubas shines & trades for a sweet package. He found a sucker in bowman to take on Jarry with zero retention and a good return so anything is possible!
He turned a expiring deal into a experienced player with some term and a 2nd round pick.
Nothing wrong with the deal.
Might take more time to adjust but he will be fine and a good player in a playoff
To me, it is more about the 2nd round pick. Girard is to be flipped at some point.
I don’t like the move because it made them worse for the playoff run, but give Dubas all the credit in the world for sticking to his plan and not deviating.
There is no guarantee that Kulak would have continued to play at the same level or that Letang would not have regressed if the trade hadn’t been made.
That we got a second on top of Girard (who likely gets flipped next year) for a player who was essentially a throw in to the Jarry deal to balance the salaries is a good move irrespective of how Girard plays
Yes. tried to do too much.
I’m a fan of the Avs and Pens. The Avs overpaid because they’re all in and Kulak was the guy they wanted (and frankly, needed). The pick is a tomorrow problem, they’re Cup or bust.
We loved Sammy G, but he can be turnover prone and got pushed around in front of the net a lot, especially in the playoffs, and it cost them. With Kulak, you hardly hear his name during the broadcast at all, which was exactly what the Avs were looking for. They’ve got flash, they needed some quiet dependability.
Also, the Avs can’t pay their 6th D-man $5 mil a year, which is where Girard was on the depth chart in Colorado. Malinski overtook him in the lineup this year and just signed a new extension.
The Avs really wanted to make the deal work and Dubas did a fantastic job of getting the additional asset. Being a fan of both, I look at each team and say “good job” on that trade.