On Tuesday, Sam Girard was getting ready to practice with Colorado and then fly to Utah when he got some life-altering news. The Penguins had acquired the 27-year-old defenseman and a 2028 second-round draft pick in exchange for blueliner Brett Kulak.

This in from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, news that the Western conference rival Colorado Avalanche are trading for former Edmonton Oilers playoff ace Brett Kulak: “Hearing Brett Kulak is being traded to Colorado.”