The Colorado Avalanche have announced they have signed defenseman Sam Malinksi to a four-year $19 million extension deal
The Colorado Avalanche have announced that they have extended defenseman Sam Malinski to a four-year deal worth $4.75 million aav. This season, in 50 games played, he has three goals and 21 assists for 24 points, a career high in assists and points, and two goals from tying his career high (five), all while playing just over 16 minutes of ice time per game. Among the defensemen on the team, he ranks second in assists, third in points, and fifth in plus/minus (+26).
When it comes to breaking down his contract, the details of any potential protection clauses are as follows: Year one and two are a full No Trade Clause, Year three has a 10-team No Trade Clause, and Year four has a six-team No Trade Clause.
Last summer, when he was an RFA, he signed a one-year “prove it” type of deal for $1.4 million that ran into this season. He was coming off a lackluster season, finishing with five goals and 10 assists for 15 points in 76 games. The growth and upside Malinski has shown in a contract year have been outstanding, and it's not just his production that shows it.
While yes, the team this season has been far better than the one last season in terms of pretty much everything (outside the power play), Malinski hasn’t just been a hitch to this machine; he has been a key cog in the system, and he adds to the depth level of scoring this team has shown.
Not only does this season's growth show on the offensive side of the game, with his confidence when shooting the puck and his ability to find lanes to create scoring chances, but also on the defensive side of the puck. Not just being more physical, but how he defends opposing players and their rushes into the zone, keeping up with some of the best skaters in the game, and not making dumb mistakes as often.
In the press release about the extension, General Manager Chris MacFarland even notes his growth as a player and his reliability to this defensive core.
“Sam is a hard-working defenseman who has great skating and puck-moving ability…His commitment to the defensive side of the game has turned him into a reliable defenseman for us…”
With this extension and the previous Josh Manson extension, the only other defenseman on the roster who doesn’t have a contract heading into next season is Brent Burns. Though it shows the fans that this management group recognizes they have a special defensive core and are ready to ride with them in the coming seasons.
