Avаlаncһe’ѕ Sаm Gіrаrd, Erіk Joһnѕon dаy-to-dаy wіtһ іnjury

The Colorado Avalanche will be without defensemen Sam Girard and Erik Johnson on a day-to-day basis due injury, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar confirmed Monday per Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports.

Girard, whose injury nature is undisclosed, has made 66 appearances with the Avalanche this season in which he has scored three times and added 19 assists for 22 points coupled with 12 penalty minutes and a plus-seven rating.

Originally chosen 47th overall by the Central Division rival Nashville Predators in the 2016 NHL Draft, Girard has totaled 541 career contests between the Predators and Avalanche in which he has totaled 34 goals and 187 assists for 221 points. With the Avalanche in 2022-23, the 26-year-old native of Roberval, Que., set a career-high 37 points counting six goals and 31 assists coming in 76 games. Girard has also added two goals and 23 assists for 25 points through 60 appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Per PuckPedia, Girard is in the fifth year of a seven-year contract that carries a $5-million annual average value.

For Johnson, Bednar confirmed the veteran defenseman is day-to-day with a lower-body injury following a ‘little tweak’. Johnson suited up Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, seeing 16:44 in ice time en route to 5-4 shootout victory.

Acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers ahead of this season’s trade deadline in exchange for right winger Givani Smith, Johnson has since made six appearances with the Avalanche in which he has registered two penalty minutes and nine shots while averaging 15:32 in time on ice. On the season, Johnson has combined for 28 games with the Flyers and Avalanche in which he has recorded one goal and two assists for three points alongside 13 penalty minutes and a minus-three rating.

Per PuckPedia, the 37-year-old Johnson can become an unrestricted free agent this coming offseason.