Congratulations to Brett Kulak. The former Edmonton Oilers defenseman just signed a five-year extension with the Colorado Avalanche, reportedly worth $4.5 million per season.
The ex Oiler was moved as part of the trade to acquire Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was ultimately flipped by the Penugins to the Avalanche this past season.
Kulak will go down as one of the big blunders last season by Edmonton. He was essentially a throw-in on a trade that saw Edmonton and Pittsburgh swap goaltenders. Stuart Skinner went to the Penguins (along with Kulak), and Jarry came back. Part of the issue wasn’t just that the Jarry trade hasn’t worked out well for the Oilers, but that Kulak was overlooked.
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He was an essential part of two playoff runs for Edmonton and was a depth guy who could play a bigger role if required. He had speed, hockey smarts, and wasn’t afraid to chip in offensively. The Oilers badly missed him last season as they struggled and lost out in the first round to the Anaheim Ducks.
The Avalanche have recognized what they have. Given that he’s 32 years old, it is a bit of risk to give him five years, but the cap hit is friendly.
With the deal, the Avalanche keep Kulak from testing the free agency market. They also locked up veteran Brent Burns to a new one-year deal.
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