Sam Malinski signed a four-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche worth $19 million on Jan. 27. The young defenseman has come a long way with the Avs and proven to be a valuable asset.
“He earned that contract. He came in this year, he’s been playing great. He’s been building confidence, and you can see it, you can feel it, just being around him, he’s got more confidence,” Josh Manson said. “As that continues to grow, his game’s going to continue to flourish. We got a great player, and we got a great guy. Really excited to have in the room as well.”
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The undrafted 27-year-old blueliner signed with the Avalanche as a free agent on March 30, 2023. He split his first season between the Avs and the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles. He earned a full-time position last season and continues to impress as he matures into his role on the team.
“He’s played first pair, second pair, third pair, now — playing the left side early in the year didn’t go real well, and now he’s playing it with Cale (Makar) and everything seems like his game is equally as solid as it was when he was on the right side,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “He’s made the adjustment over there, second time around, and so it’s a great addition to the way we can deploy guys. The fact that he was able to be solid against other teams’ top six players while playing the left side is some really good information.”
Malinski’s fit with the Avalanche
Malinski’s versatility and adaptability have built his confidence to elevate his game. He has gained valuable experience playing across the defensive lineup with various teammates.
“He’s got another level that he can get to, and it’s amazing to play with him,” Makar said. “He does so many things well. His offensive instincts are incredible … he’s going to just continue to flourish hopefully.”
The Lakeville, Minnesota native has played 152 NHL games with the Avs, and his time on the ice has increased this season. He has 25 points and is a plus-31 through 53 games.
“We all come here and try to get better, just a little bit better every day,” Malinski said. “I’ve just gained so much more confidence from the experience I’ve gotten throughout the 150 games. Just growing a ton as far as poise with the puck and the way I defend too.”
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski at morning skate ahead of matchup with Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 2, 2026. (Photo credit: Colleen Flynn)
Why Colorado was the right choice for Malinski
Malinski was drawn to Colorado because of the team’s style of play. He has developed an appreciation for the team’s work ethic, which fuels its winning culture.
In the past three years, he has grown comfortable with his teammates and settled into life in Denver. One of his closest relationships is with Jack Drury. The two have collegiate hockey in common — Malinski played for Cornell University and Drury played for Harvard University.
“He’s one of my best buddies. Since he first got traded here last year, we didn’t really know each other before or anything, but just being around the same age and having the Harvard/Cornell ECAC connection, we kind of knew we were going to be close buddies off the start. So that’s been a true blessing to play with him,” Malinski said.
Malinksi’s teammates and coach have high praise for him, but it’s GM Chris MacFarland who made the deal to keep him in burgundy and blue.
“Sam is a hard-working defenseman who has great skating and puck-moving ability,” 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.”
