NAHL alum Malinski signs contract with NHL's Avalanche

Former Bismarck Bobcats defenseman Sam Malinski was the Central Defenseman of the Year and a member of the All-NAHL 2nd Team during the 2018-19 season.

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced that the team has signed defenseman and NAHL alum (Bismarck Bobcats) Sam Malinski to a two-year contract for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. He will join the Colorado Eagles on a professional tryout contract (PTO) for the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign.

Malinski, 24, just finished his senior year at Cornell University, where he recorded 26 points (8g/18a) in 34 outings. Named team captain as a senior, the blueliner ranked third on the team and first among defenseman in points and ranked second on the team in assists. Malinski earned First-Team All-ECAC honors for the second straight year, the first Cornell defenseman to be named to the conference's first team in consecutive seasons since 2003 (Douglas Murray). He appeared in 91 career games with the Big Red from 2019-23, totaling 65 points (17g/48a).

As a junior in 2021-22, Malinksi led Cornell in assists (18) and ranked fourth in points (21), earning All-Ivy League and All-ECAC Hockey First Team honors. He helped Cornell to a regular-season championship during the 2019-20 season, tallying 16 points (4g/12a) in 25 outings, earning an All-Ivy League honorable mention selection.

The Lakeville, Minnesota, native appeared in 87 career games for the North American Hockey League's Bismarck Bobcats from 2017-19, notching 55 points (15g/40a). He was named an alternate captain for the 2018-19 season, tallying 45 points (14g/31a) and a +20 plus/minus rating in 59 outings to earn a spot on the NAHL Second All-Star Team.

The 5-foot-11, 189-pound blueliner was also named the Central Division's Defenseman of the Year and was selected to the All-Central Division Team.