Avalanche may have just locked in a future star at a bargain price
Photo credit: Sean M. Haffey / The Orange County Register
The Colorado Avalanche have signed restricted free agent defenseman Sam Malinski to a qualifying offer, securing him for the 2025-26 season, unless another team submits an offer sheet that the Avalanche choose not to match.
Malinski and the Avalanche agreed to a one-year, $1.4 million contract that keeps him in Denver for the upcoming season.
Avalanche just locked in a future star.
Graham Tiedtke from Mile High Sticking writes that Malinski is coming off a breakout season, taking on a much larger role than in previous years. He appeared in an impressive 76 games, tallying five goals and 10 assists.
Currently projected to start on the third defensive pairing alongside Keaton Middleton, it wouldn't be surprising to see him earn significant minutes in 2025-26. While he's unlikely to overtake veterans like Sam Girard or Josh Manson, each defensive unit has its own responsibilities, and Malinski could be tasked with a lot more this season.
"That's a great situation for the 26 year old, as he will want every opportunity to show that he deserves a long-term deal with a higher AAV. I truly enjoyed watching Malinski last season. I think that he's a good fit for this team and obviously his coaches and general manager Chris MacFarland agree. Signing him to his one-year restricted-free agency deal was one of the bigger in-house free agent moves they just had to make." -Tiedtke
Given that Malinski is likely to remain a cost-effective option in the near future, there doesn't appear to be much standing in the way of the two sides eventually agreeing to an multi-year extension.
"For the 2024-25 season, Malinski had 57 hits and was third on the team in blocked shots with 107. While he's not one of the leaders in scoring stats, he's clearly an asset when it comes to the defensive side of the game. That's something the Colorado Avalanche want and need going forward. His scoring ability can improve and that's hopefully something the Avalanche will get to see this season as he tries to earn a long-term deal." -Tiedtke
The ideal outcome for the Avalanche would be Malinski having a standout season in 2025-26, leading to a long-term extension. That would solidify a key roster spot for the future and provide some much-needed stability on the blue line.
Source:
Mile High Sticking
Avalanche new deal with rising defenseman is an opportunity to cash in later
Mile High Sticking
Avalanche new deal with rising defenseman is an opportunity to cash in later
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 3 | 27 ANSWERS Avalanche may have just locked in a future star at a bargain price Does Sam Malinksi have a long-term future with the Colorado Avalanche? | ||
| yes | 23 | 85.2 % |
| no | 4 | 14.8 % |
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