Malinski signs 4-year contract with Avalanche
Sam Malinski signed a four-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The 27-year-old defenseman has set NHL career highs in assists (21) and points (24) in 50 games this season. He is also plus-26 and is averaging 16:43 of ice time.
Malinski could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
“Sam is a hardworking defenseman who has great skating and puck-moving ability,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said. “His commitment to the defensive side of the game has turned him into a reliable defenseman for us. We’re excited to have him under contract for the following four seasons.”
Malinski, who was undrafted, signed with Colorado as a free agent March 30, 2023. He has 49 points (11 goals, 38 assists) in 149 career games with the Avalanche, and one assist in five Stanley Cup Playoff games.
“I think it’s well-deserved,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “[He’s] continuously getting better and better year over year, month over month, really, for us, and like the improvement of his defensive game, for me, this year, from the start of the year even to now, for a long stretch, has been really impressive.”
NHL.com independent correspondent Ryan Boulding contributed to this report
