Sam Malinski’s Breakout Season | Colorado Avalanche News

Sam Malinski, the Colorado Avalanche’s rising defenseman wearing number 70, is on track for a breakout 2026-27 season after a meteoric rise from undrafted free agent to top-four defenseman. Signed to a four-year, $19M extension in January, he’s averaging nearly 24 minutes a game and hit career highs with 40 points (8 goals, 32 assists) last season. Praised by teammate Cale Makar for his elite offensive instincts and growing confidence, Malinski remains hungry to improve his puck handling and defense, with projections pointing to even bigger things ahead. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/18f83dac543e1596