Could the Avalanche make Samuel Girard available at trade deadline?

Colorado has assembled an impressive back end, a group that has been bolstered by the return of Erik Johnson and the emergence of sophomore Bowen Byram. The 20-year-old has been strong enough this season that Mike Chambers of the Denver Post suggests that blueliner Samuel Girard could plausibly be made available if the Avalanche decide to try to add to their forward group between now and the trade deadline. Girard is signed through 2026-27 with a $5 million average annual value, a reasonable price for someone who consistently logs more than 20 minutes per game while chipping in a little offensively as well. If the Avs were to make the 23-year-old available, he’d garner plenty of interest around the league.

More from the Central Division:

• J.P. Barry, the agent for Predators winger Filip Forsberg, confirmed to Adam Vingan of The Athletic (subscription link) that there still have been no discussions on a possible contract extension with the veteran in the final year of his deal. While Forsberg has indicated a willingness to merely play the season out and see what happens after it ends, Barry added that he does expect to have those contract talks at some point during the regular season. The 27-year-old is likely eyeing a raise on his current $6 million average annual value but is currently out with an upper body injury.
• While the Blues were hoping for some cap relief in their current COVID situation, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that they won’t be receiving any: “There is not currently an intention to provide cap relief for Covid-related reasons. No different than having to deal with multiple short-term injuries. St. Louis is not at all unique in having to navigate these waters.” St. Louis has had six different players enter the protocols in recent days and while they’ve managed to carry a minimum-sized roster, any other addition or injury will place them in a situation where they’ll have to play short a player for a game before becoming eligible for a cap-exempt recall.