Penguins' struck by unfortunate news following recent trade for Sam Girard

The Pittsburgh Penguins officially confirmed the sobering medical evaluation on Thursday. This news immediately derailed the positive momentum building around the franchise.

Management took a massive swing earlier this week ahead of the deadline. They brought the former Colorado Avalanche blueliner to town to drastically improve their overall puck movement.

To make room on the active roster and balance the salary cap sheet, Pittsburgh confidently shipped out reliable veteran Brett Kulak.

That specific transaction is already stinging the front office. The defensive depth chart now features a gaping void on the left side that nobody was prepared for.

The Eastern Conference wild card race is an absolute bloodbath this spring. The margin for error is razor thin, and every single point dictates who makes the playoffs.

Girard was specifically acquired to deliver crisp passing and ignite a stagnant transition game from his own zone. He possesses the exact skill set they lacked.

His consistent offensive output is exactly what the secondary power play unit desperately needed to convert on those tight, one-goal games.

Now the coaching staff is completely scrambling to find a viable temporary fix before the puck drops this weekend. The internal options are incredibly limited right now.

Leaning heavily on unproven AHL call-ups during the most important homestand of the regular season is an extremely risky gamble for a team built to win immediately.

The remaining top-four defensemen will inevitably see their average time on ice spike well past 24 minutes a night. That is a heavy burden to carry.

That grueling workload will severely drain the older veterans during this upcoming brutal stretch of hockey. Fatigue becomes a massive enemy in the final weeks.

The locker room needs to find an answer fast. They absolutely cannot afford to drop consecutive games against aggressive division rivals fighting for the same wild card spot.

If the blue line crumbles under the pressure without their newest weapon, the postseason will slip right through their fingers. The defensive scheme relies on mobility.

The medical staff is still evaluating the full extent of the damage. The dark clouds are officially circling the arena as fans wait for a concrete timeline.