So far, the top defense pair in training camp has been Erik Johnson and Sam Girard. First of all, it’s great to see video of EJ looking healthy after injury prematurely ended his season last year. I’m not breaking news by saying that EJ has been the most well-rounded Colorado Avalanche defenseman for awhile now. We just have to hope that his health holds up.
The surprise here is that 20-year old Sam Girard is already getting a consistent look at playing with EJ on the top pair. By all accounts, he added some muscle in the offseason, but hasn’t lost a step.