<p>The <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/colorado-avalanche/line-combinations">Colorado Avalanche</a> announced on Saturday that defenseman Samuel Girard will be out on a week-to-week basis with an upper-body injury. </p>



<p>Girard, a left-handed puck-moving blueliner who has been a mainstay on Avalanche rosters since being acquired from the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/nashville-predators/line-combinations">Nashville Predators</a> at the front end of the 2017-18 campaign, has appeared in both of Colorado’s games this season. </p>



<p>In a 4-1 win over the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/los-angeles-kings/line-combinations">Los Angeles Kings</a> on Tuesday, he skated 18:49 while recording a shot on goal, three blocked shots and a pair of hits. </p>



<p>He then played 18:47 in a 2-1 victory against the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/utah-mammoth/line-combinations">Utah Mammoth</a> on Thursday with a shot and a hit along with a plus-1 rating. Girard took his last shift within the last five minutes of the third period.</p>



<p>A native of Quebec, Girard has thrived in a depth role supporting Colorado’s standout top pairing of Devon Toews and Cale Makar in recent years. He’s coming off of a 27-point effort in 2024-25.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="162"></div>



<p>In Girard’s absence, head coach Jared Bednar will rely more heavily upon Sam Malinski and Brent Burns while Ilya Solovyov will go from the press box to the lineup to take Girard’s spot.</p>



<p>Colorado acquired Solovyov via a waiver claim after he was placed on the wire by the <a href="https://flamesnation.ca">Calgary Flames</a> in the final days of training camp as teams were finalizing their opening night rosters. </p>



<p>Solovyov, a six-foot-two 25-year-old, was a mainstay with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers for the three seasons before this one, putting up 28 points in 59 games from the back end a year ago. In his 15 NHL games, he’s put up four assists and skated to a minus-6 rating.</p>



<p>The Avalanche are in action on Saturday night against their rival <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/dallas-stars/line-combinations">Dallas Stars</a>, who eliminated them from the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year thanks to a hat trick by former Colorado superstar Mikko Rantanen in Game 7.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="157"></div>


Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard (49) against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center.