I think he's been mostly good, a few off-nights but IMO most of the time that's when the rest of the team is playing poorly. He's not a perfect defenseman by any means but there's no way the team can take him off the roster in a trade and not have something coming back as a replacement, because if they think they can get away with Manson or Malinski as the third-best defenseman on the team...
I agree with that. I think the team made a choice to keep Girard last year, instead of going in a different direction, and the only way they'd move him is to upgrade on his #3 spot.
I was just speculating on what Kyper's comments on the Avs trading for a defenseman were about. The only two players they can trade to upgrade the top 4 are Girard or Manson, and I don't think they trade Manson, because they need Manson, and like Girard, the only way it makes sense to trade him, is to upgrade on him.
I also think it would be tougher to upgrade on Manson than Girard. They'd have to find a team with a better big, physical D man, that can skate, and handle the puck, who they're willing to part with. There's more puck handling D, or two way D that are good in transition, that could be an upgrade on G IMO.
But I think the most likely scenario is they keep G, and Kyper's comments were about overpaying for a solid two way #4/5 type that could play on the third pair, or the second if need be, and not look too out of place.