Colorado Avalanche · Defense · Shoots R

Sam Malinski

Age 28 · 5'11" · 190 lb · Born in Lakeville, USA

Cap hit

$4.75M

4.6% of $104M cap

Term

4 yrs

Through 2029-30, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$739K

vs. $5.489M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

Goals

0.0% shooting

Assists

0 primary

Points

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

15:02

PP 0:05 · PK 0:26

Plus/minus

Hits

Blocks 4

PIM

Game Score

+0.72

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	SOG	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Oct 3 vs STL · W 6-1	1	1	15:37	0:05	0:07	—	33	1	0	+4	+0.87
Sep 30 vs LAK · W 8-4	2	3	14:27	0:05	0:45	—	100	0	1	+1	+0.56
May 26 @ VGK · L 2-1	2	2	14:16	0:00	0:00	—	25	0	1	0	+0.36
May 24 @ VGK · L 5-3	2	0	12:57	0:00	0:00	—	33	3	0	-1	-0.15
May 22 vs VGK · L 3-1	3	1	20:40	1:42	0:32	—	50	0	0	-2	+0.05

GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,311 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%61.5%

99th percentile

Relative xGF%+5.2

91st percentile

HDCF%61.0%

94th percentile

CF%59.1%

97th percentile

Relative CF%+3.6

86th percentile

FF%58.7%

98th percentile

GF%70.2%

99th percentile

CF/6074.5

100th percentile

CA/6051.7

88th percentile

ixG/600.31

78th percentile

Goals above expected+1.2

73rd percentile

IPP52.1%

96th percentile

PDO103.5

91st percentile

OZS%50.3%

65th percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleOffensive puck-moving defenseman

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

Malinski is a high-volume shooter with elite playmaking and speed who drives offense through transitions and smart passes. He's most comfortable creating from distance and generates strong possession numbers, though he plays a lighter physical game and isn't a heavy forechecking presence.

Rush attackPerimeter shooterCreative passer

Shooting volume: 97
Playmaking: 94
Zone entries(est.): 80
Forechecking: 59
Physicality: 34
Defensive impact: 89
Puck management: 54
Speed: 93

Where he shoots from

Slot 5% · Mid-range 28% · Perimeter 67%(252 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Elite shooting volume at 97th percentile, averaging 3+ shots per game
Top-tier playmaking ability at 94th percentile, creating offense consistently
Exceptional speed and transition game at 93rd percentile for controlling pace

Watch-outs

Lighter physical approach at 34th percentile limits board play impact
Solid but unremarkable puck management at 54th percentile in high-danger moments

Similar style: Jackson LaCombe (ANA), Noah Hanifin (VGK)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

NHL regular season NHL playoffs All leagues

Season	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	SOG	S%	TOI	FO%
2024-25	Colorado Avalanche	5	0	1	1	+3	4	9	0.0	14:00	—
2025-26	Colorado Avalanche	11	1	2	3	+3	0	22	4.5	18:56	—
Career	2 seasons	16	1	3	4	+6	4	31	3.2	17:24	—

Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.

Latest news

Headlines from news outlets and team blogs

Avalanche accidentally give Sam Malinski a new name ahead of season opener
milehighsticking.com · Sep 29

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

+0.9

+0.9LAK4/26

+2.2

+2.2MIN5/3

+0.2

+0.2MIN5/5

+0.1

+0.1MIN5/9

+0.1

+0.1VGK5/20

+0.0

+0.0VGK5/22

-0.2VGK5/24

+0.4

+0.4VGK5/26

+0.6

+0.6LAK9/30

+0.9

+0.9STL10/3

Average +0.52 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.62 per game

2025-26 · 82 GP

Season total +50.6, or +0.62 per game.

Scoring: +27.8
Shooting: +12.3
5-on-5 goals: +6.3
Defense: +2.2
Penalty kill: +0.4
Physical play: +5.7
Puck battles: -2.6
Penalties: -1.3

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 5

Top speed: 21.3 mph; 84th pct
20+ mph bursts: 2
Hardest shot: 80.7 mph; 50th pct
Distance: 4.5 mi
OZ time: 36.5%; 13th pct
DZ time: 43.0%

Usage

Last 2 games this season

Pair 3 with Brett Kulak (6:06 together per game at 5-on-5)

From the NHL's shift charts, averaged over this season's last 10 games.

Age curve

At 28: 95% of peak

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 28, defensemen typically produce 95% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 31, when the typical level is 86%.

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

4 seasons left

Season	Team	Cap hit	% of cap
2026-27	COL	$4.75M	4.6%
2027-28	COL	$4.75M	4.2%
2028-29	COL	$4.75M	—
2029-30	COL	$4.75M	—

UFA after 2029-30. $19M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).