DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today the team has signed defenseman Sam Malinski to a four-year contract through the 2029-30 season.
Malinski, 27, has set career-highs in assists (21) and points (24) while logging 16:43 of time on ice per game for the Avalanche in 2025-26. He also enters Wednesday (Jan. 28) two goals shy of his career-high of five from last season. Among Avalanche blueliners, Malinski ranks second in assists and third in points. All but one of his assists and points have come at even-strength, putting him among NHL defensemen leaders in even-strength helpers (T-9th) and even-strength points (T-18th). Malinski’s +26 rating also sits tied for sixth among League rearguards.
Signed as a college free agent on March 30, 2023, Malinski has recorded 49 points (11g/38a) over 149 career regular-season games. The defenseman made Colorado’s opening night roster in 2024-25 and suited up in 76 regular-season games for the Avs, pitching in 15 points (5g/10a). This season, Malinski notched a goal in his 100th NHL appearance on Oct. 7 which was the 2025-26 season opener in Los Angeles.
"Sam is a hard-working defenseman who has great skating and puck-moving ability," said Avalanche General Manager Chris MacFarland. "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 made his NHL debut on Nov. 13, 2023 in Seattle and tallied his first career game-winning goal later that season in Ottawa (Jan. 16), which was also his first career power-play marker. The blueliner spent part of his first full pro season with the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles and tallied 27 points (5g/22a) in 46 games. In his AHL career, Malinski compiled 32 points (8g/24a) in 53 regular-season contests and added seven points (0g/7a) in 10 Calder Cup Playoff showings from 2022-24.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound defenseman dressed in five of the Avs’ seven Stanley Cup Playoff contests in 2025 and registered his first career playoff point with an assist in Game 3 (April 23). The helper put Malinski in a group with Ryan Graves (1g/0a), Cale Makar (1g/0a), Nikita Zadorov (1g/0a), Tyson Barrie (0g/2a), Erik Johnson (0g/1a), Jeff Finger (0g/1a), Brett Clark (1g/0a) and John-Michael Liles (0g/1a) as the only blueliners in Colorado/Quebec history to find the scoresheet in his playoff debut with the franchise.
Prior to turning pro, Malinski played four seasons at Cornell University from 2019-23. In that span, he totaled 65 points (17g/48a) in 91 collegiate showings. He served as team captain as a senior in 2022-23 and was named to the NCAA (East) Second All-American Team as well as ECAC First All-Star Team in both 2021-22 and 2022-23.
A native of Lakeville, Minn., Malinski appeared in 87 career games for the North American Hockey League's Bismarck Bobcats from 2017-19, notching 55 points (15g/40a). He was named an alternate captain for the 2018-19 season, tallying 45 points (14g/31a) in 59 outings to earn a spot on the NAHL Second All-Star Team while also taking home the Central Division's Defenseman of the Year honors. In 2017-18, Malinski started the campaign in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, skating in 19 games (2g/1a) before joining Bismarck for the remainder of the NAHL season.
