There is no denying Girard's value to the Colorado Avalanche
Samuel Girard has proven to me this season just how committed he is to team success. While I may have thought he was once destined for the trade block, I now see him as essential to this roster. The numbers and the eye test don't lie. Girard is the real deal.
After the holiday break, many eyes turn to the deadline. Commonly held wisdom says that clubs borrow from an area of strength to help area of need. With so many injuries to forwards some might assume the Avalanche would again dip into a deep defensive room to bolster some scoring output.
However recent rumors might indicate that Colorado could add defensive help down the stretch instead. In any case, I think Samuel Girard has played so well that he is likely no longer on that proverbial bubble. If anything, Girard's play could make another blue liner expendable. But that's not something the Avs might want to do at this point.
Back in the offseason, I kept noting that we were adding potential Sam Girard types, hoping they'd panned out. It seems that the Avs didn't need another Sam Girard type when the genuine one was already on the roster, playing like the best version of himself.
Winners of a season-high six straight games the Colorado Avalanche are finally looking like the contenders we expected. We might have a pair of new goalies and three of the best players in the world. But it is going to take hard work from unsung heroes like Samuel Girard to help take this team to another Stanley Cup.