DENVER (AP) — Sam Malinski’s breakout season was rewarded Tuesday when the Colorado Avalanche signed the defenseman to a four-year extension.

The deal is reported to be worth $19 million, with an annual cap hit of $4.75 million.

kAm%96 af\J62C\@=5 |2=:?D<: 92D 2=C625J D6E 42C66C\9:89D H:E9 a` 2DD:DED 2?5 ac A@:?ED 😕 =@88:?8 `e >:?FE6D[ cb D64@?5D @7 :46 E:>6 A6C 82>6] w6VD D64@?5 2>@?8 5676?D6>6? @? E96 E62> 😕 2DD:DED 369:?5 C6:8?:?8 }@CC:D %C@A9J H:??6C r2=6 |2<2C]k^Am

kAmQ$2> 😀 2 92C5\H@C<:?8 5676?D6>2? H9@ 92D 8C62E D<2E:?8 2?5 AF4<\>@G:?8 23:=:EJ[” pG2=2?496 86?6C2= >2?286C r9C:D |24u2C=2?5 D2:5 😕 2 DE2E6>6?E] “w:D 4@>>:E>6?E E@ E96 5676?D:G6 D:56 @7 E96 82>6 92D EFC?65 9:> :?E@ 2 C6=:23=6 5676?D6>2? 7@C FD]”k^Am

kAmxEVD 2?@E96C :?DE2?46 H96C6 E96 pG2=2?496 92G6 C6H2C565 2? FA\2?5\4@>:?8 A=2J6C E9:D D62D@?] x? }@G6>36C[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2G2=2?496\82G:?\3C:?5=6J\e7763_`766edbhgefafhgb66_7_d2_fdQmv2G:? qC:?5=6Jk^2m D:8?65 2 EH@\J62C 4@?EC24E 6IE6?D:@? =6DD E92? cg 9@FCD 27E6C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2G2=2?496\42?F46 H:??6Ck^2m] %96 d\7@@E\g[ `fb\A@F?5 qC:?5=6J H2D 24BF:C65 3J r@=@C25@ @? yF?6 af 2D A2CE @7 2 562= E92E D6?E r92C=:6 r@J=6 2?5 |:=6D (@@5 E@ r@=F>3FD]k^Am

kAm%9C66 >@?E9D 28@[ E96 pG2=2?496 D:8?65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^>2CE:?\?642D\4@?EC24E\2G2=2?496\3c36f72f264ed`7443`2adg4`6bc4d22Qm|2CE:? }642D E@ 2? 6:89E\J62C[ Sha >:==:@? 4@?EC24Ek^2m 6IE6?D:@? E9C@F89 a_bc]k^Am

kAm%96 pG2=2?496 3C@F89E 😕 |2=:?D<: 2D 2 4@==686 7C66 286?E 😕 |2C49 a_ab] w6 >256 E96 @A6?:?8 C@DE6C 😕 a_ac\ad 2?5 92D 366? 2 7:IEFC6 @? E96 3=F6=:?6 D:?46] w6 92D “ 8@2=D 2?5 bg 2DD:DED @G6C `ch 42C66C C68F=2C\D62D@? 2AA62C2?46D] |2=:?D<: 2=D@ A=2J65 😕 7:G6 82>6D[ H:E9 @?6 2DD:DE[ 😕 E96 A=2J@77D 7@C r@=@C25@ =2DE D62D@? 282:?DE s2==2D]k^Am

kAm|2=:?D<:[ H9@ 😀 d\7@@E\“[ `h_\A@F?5D[ DF:E65 FA 7@C r@C?6== &?:G6CD:EJ 7C@> a_`h\ab] %96 {2<6G:==6[ |:??6D@E2[ ?2E:G6 H2D 2 E62> 42AE2:? 😕 a_aa\ab]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! }w{i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?9=Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?9=k^2mk^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.