Overview
- Colorado announced a four-year contract for Malinski at a $4.75 million average annual value, keeping him from reaching unrestricted free agency on July 1.
- Malinski has 24 points in 50 games with a +26 rating while averaging 16:43 of ice time, an output that stands out compared with peers logging heavier minutes.
- General manager Chris MacFarland praised Malinski’s skating, puck movement, and defensive commitment in the team’s statement.
- The 27-year-old recently logged top-pair shifts alongside Cale Makar during Devon Toews’ absence after opening the season in a third-pair role.
- Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Cornell in 2023, Malinski became a regular in 2024–25 and is now projected to be Colorado’s fourth-highest-paid defenseman in 2026–27 under this deal.