<p><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/colorado-avalanche/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado Avalanche</a> defenseman Samuel Girard is set to return to action on Thursday night against the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Edmonton Oilers</a>, according to multiple Avs’ beat reporters.</p>



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sam Girard is back tonight.</p>— Meghan Angley (@megangley) <a href="https://twitter.com/megangley/status/1879955867526918567?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Girard had missed the past three games with an upper-body injury. It’s unclear what the cause of the injury was, but he was announced as a late scratch on January 9th against the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/minnesota-wild/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Minnesota Wild</a>, and has been day-to-day since then. The Avalanche went 2-1-0 during his absence.</p>



<p>According to Daily Faceoff’s projected lineup, Girard will be slotting back onto his usual spot on the second pair alongside Josh Manson. The duo have been outscored 20-15 and have a 47.39% expected goal share in 323:12 of ice time together.</p>



<p>Girard has 2 goals and 16 assists for 18 points in 42 games played this season, a 33-point pace that matches his usual career performances. Despite a 49.18% 5v5 xG% that would indicate some struggles to drive play, some of that has been due to playing with Manson, as Girard sees that jump up a bit more to 50.99% away from Manson.</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="180"></div>



<p>Girard was a second-round pick for the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/nashville-predators/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nashville Predators</a> in the 2016 NHL Draft, making his NHL debut in the 2017-18 season and playing just 5 games before he was dealt to the Avalanche as a part of the three-team trade that sent Matt Duchene to the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/ottawa-senators/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ottawa Senators</a> and Kyle Turris to the Predators. He’s since gone on to spend the past eight seasons in Colorado, winning a Stanley Cup with the team in 2022.</p>



<p>Girard is currently in the fifth year of a seven-year contract with a $5 million cap hit.</p>



<p>Sam Malinski will draw out of the lineup with the return of Girard. He has 1 goal and 4 assists for 5 points in 45 games played with the Avalanche this season.</p>



<p>The Avalanche currently sit in fourth place in the Central Division with a 27-17-1 record, good enough for the first wild card spot in the Western Conference. They’ll look to build off of Tuesday’s 2-1 overtime win over the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/new-york-rangers/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York Rangers</a> when they host the Oilers today at 7:30 MST. </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="177"></div>


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