| Date | Team | Transaction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2025 | Colorado Avalanche | Signed 1 year @ $1.400M AAV starting in 2025-26 | |
| Mar 30, 2023 | Colorado Avalanche | Signed 2 years @ $850K AAV starting in 2023-24 |
2025-26 Player Card
URL: https://www.thestanleycap.com/cdn/player_cards/20252026/sam-malinski-8484258.png
2024-25 Player Card
URL: https://www.thestanleycap.com/cdn/player_cards/20242025/sam-malinski-8484258.png
2023-24 Player Card
URL: https://www.thestanleycap.com/cdn/player_cards/20232024/sam-malinski-8484258.png
About Player Cards
Player cards present an infographic of a players performance. In this case it shows the player performance over a 3 season span. Each square is separated into three separate sub-boxes with the two smaller boxes on top representing the past two seasons and the larger box on the bottom representing the current or most recent season. This allows the reader to guage how consistent a player has been, and if early in the season it can help identify whether a players performance may be impacted by small sample size and subject to regression or is consistent with recent past performance.
Notes and Definitions
- The numbers represent percentiles so the higher the better.
- Percentiles are determined by comparing Forwards to Forwards and Defensemen to Defensemen.
- Bursts/mi are calculated from NHL Edge Data are are speed bursts above 20mpg per mile skated. The NHL doesn't adjust for ice time so the players that skate more will naturally have more bursts over 20, or at least more opportunity to have more. The NHL also does not provide ice time in the context of NHL Edge Statistics, however, it does provide distance skated. By adjusting for distance skated it will have a similar effect to adjusting for ice time but also adjust for situationional effect. For example, Players don't typically skate as much on the PK, mostly within the defensive zone, so don't get significant opportunity in that ice time to get speed bursts above 20mph. Adjusting with miles skates would account for this better than adjusting with ice time.
- Sh%AE is Shooting Percentage above Expected (Sh% - xSh%) and is an indicator of how good a shooter is at converting chances into goals.
- Relative statistics are On Ice - Off Ice statistics and can be an indicator of whether the player makes his teammates better or worse.
- All data is 5v5 except Shooting Hardest and Average, Skating Top Speed and Bursts/mi which are all situations, ES Average which is even strength (NHL doesn't give a specific definition).
Data Sources
- Salary data is from TheStanleyCap.com
- Shooting and Skating (except Sh%AE) are from NHL Edge
- Other statistics are from Puckalytics.com and derived from data from NHL.com
Terms of Use
You are free to use include player cards in written articles, share on social media, or on other public websites under the following conditions:
- You credit TheStanleyCap.com as the source and provide a link back to TheStanleyCap.com or this player page.
- You do not mass copy/duplicate/publish dozens or hundreds of player cards. A few, or a handful for a written article is fine. Be reasonable. Fair use rules apply.
- If you are a high-traffic website you must download and host the image(s) on your site rather than overload TheStanleyCap servers with traffic.
Note: The image will update daily throughout the season so if you want to include snapshot then you must download the image.
If you have any questions, send an e-mail to the e-mail address at the top of this page.
5v5 Individual Stats
| Season | Team(s) | GP | TOI | G/60 | A/60 | Pts/60 | xG/60 | GAE/60 | Sh% | xSh% | Sh%AE | %SA Rush | %SA Reb. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | COL | 23 | 305:13 | 0.39 | 1.18 | 1.57 | 0.22 | 0.17 | 6.90 | 3.91 | 2.98 | 2.33 | 2.33 |
| 2024-25 | COL | 76 | 1120:41 | 0.21 | 0.48 | 0.70 | 0.24 | -0.02 | 3.67 | 4.05 | -0.38 | 0.66 | 1.99 |
| 2025-26 | COL | 11 | 154:19 | 0.39 | 1.56 | 1.94 | 0.29 | 0.10 | 5.56 | 4.12 | 1.44 | 3.85 | 0.00 |
5v5 On Ice Stats
| Season | Team(s) | GP | TOI | SAF/60 | GF/60 | xGF/60 | SAA/60 | GA/60 | xGA/60 | GF% | xGF% | xGF Rel | xGA Rel | xGF% Rel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | COL | 23 | 305:13 | 40.30 | 3.15 | 2.16 | 42.46 | 2.56 | 2.47 | 55.17 | 46.72 | -0.55 | 0.01 | -5.71 |
| 2024-25 | COL | 76 | 1120:41 | 41.65 | 2.30 | 2.33 | 37.74 | 1.87 | 2.19 | 55.13 | 51.52 | -0.29 | -0.03 | -2.58 |
| 2025-26 | COL | 11 | 154:19 | 53.27 | 2.33 | 3.10 | 34.22 | 1.56 | 1.90 | 60.00 | 62.03 | 0.13 | -0.40 | 5.68 |
NHL Edge Stats
| Skating | Shooting | Zone Time | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | GP | Top Speed | Bursts>20/mi | Avg. Speed | ES Avg. Speed | Top Speed | Avg. Speed | %Long Range | %Mid Range | %High Danger | ES DZ% | ES NZ% | ES OZ% |
| This table is for Basic and Premium subscribers only. To view please login to and/or subscribe to one of our subscription plans. | |||||||||||||
Legend
| Percentile 0-25 | Percentile 25-50 | Percentile 50-75 | Percentile 75-100 |
5v5 Defense Pairs
| Season | Teammate | Team | TOI | GF/60 | GA/60 | GF% | xGF/60 | xGA/60 | xGF% | xGF Rel | xGA Rel | xGF% Rel |
|---|
Glossary
| Type | Statistic | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | G/60 | Goals Against per 60 minutes. |
| Individual | A/60 | Assists per 60 minutes. |
| Individual | Pts/60 | Points per 60 minutes. |
| Individual | xG/60 | Expected Goals per 60 minutes. |
| Individual | GAE/60 | Goals Above Expected (G/60 - xG/60). |
| Individual | Sh% | Shooting Percentage. |
| Individual | xSh% | Expected Shooting Percentage. |
| Individual | Sh%AE | Shooting percentage above expected (Sh% - xSh%). |
| Individual | %SA Rush | Percentage of shot attempts determined to be on the rush. |
| Individual | %SA Reb. | Percentage of shot attempts determined to be from rebounds. |
| On Ice | SAF/60 | Shot Attempts For per 60 minutes. |
| On Ice | GF/60 | Goals For per 60 minutes. |
| On Ice | xGF/60 | Expected Goals For per 60 minutes. |
| On Ice | SAA/60 | Shot Attempts Against per 60 minutes (lower is better). |
| On Ice | GA/60 | Goals Against per 60 minutes (lower is better). |
| On Ice | xGA/60 | Expected Goals Against per 60 minutes (lower is better). |
| On Ice | GF% | Goals For Percentage = Goals For / (Goals For + Goals Against) |
| On Ice | xGF% | Expected Goals For Percentage = Expected Goals For / (Expected Goals For + Expected Goals Against) |
| On Ice | xGF Rel | xGF/60 when On Ice - xGF/60 when not On Ice. |
| On Ice | xGA Rel | xGA/60 when On Ice - xGA/60 when not On Ice (lower is better). |
| On Ice | xGF% Rel | xGF% when On Ice - xGF% when not On Ice. |
News and Opinions
-
Colorado Avalanche penalty kill impressive to start the season at Mile High Sticking (Mon Oct 27, 2025)
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Colorado Avalanche defense spoils another great start from Wedgwood at Mile High Sticking (Wed Oct 22, 2025)
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Exploring Josh Manson's impressive start to the season at Mile High Sticking (Sat Oct 18, 2025)
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Newest Colorado Avalanche defenseman will make his team debut against the Dallas Stars at Mile High Sticking (Sat Oct 11, 2025)
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Samuel Girard Out Week-to-Week for Avalanche at Colorado Hockey Now (Sat Oct 11, 2025)
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Examining Jared Bednar's Sam Malinski experiment at Mile High Sticking (Thu Oct 9, 2025)
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Colorado Avalanche unsung heroes impress in season-opening win at Mile High Sticking (Thu Oct 9, 2025)
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FINAL – Kings 1, Avalanche 4 – Doughty, Kempe, Hiller at LA Kings Insider (Wed Oct 8, 2025)
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Recap: Nečas Scores Twice as Avalanche Dominate Kings in Season Opener at Mile High Hockey (Wed Oct 8, 2025)
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The Aftermath: Necas, Wedgewood Lead Dominant Avalanche on Opening Night at Colorado Hockey Now (Wed Oct 8, 2025)
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Anze Kopitar's final season doesn't start well as Kings lose to Avalanche at Yahoo Sports NHL (Wed Oct 8, 2025)
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Roster Is Set. Avalanche Open 2025-26 Season With 3 Rookies, 3 Goalies at Colorado Hockey Now (Mon Oct 6, 2025)
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How the Colorado Avalanche made good use of the preseason at Mile High Sticking (Mon Oct 6, 2025)
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MHH Roundtable: Bold Predictions for the 2025-26 season at Mile High Hockey (Mon Oct 6, 2025)
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Preseason is Over. Here’s My Projected Avalanche Opening Night Lineup at Colorado Hockey Now (Sun Oct 5, 2025)
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7 Observations: Golden Knights Stumble in Final Preseason Road Game at Vegas Hockey Now (Wed Oct 1, 2025)
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Colton and Drury Find Chemistry in Avs Preseason Win at Colorado Hockey Now (Wed Oct 1, 2025)
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Recap: Colorado still prefect in preseason with 4-2 win over Vegas at Mile High Hockey (Wed Oct 1, 2025)
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Mile High Pollster: Avs fans dub the 2025-26 team a ‘Cup Contender’ at Mile High Hockey (Mon Sep 22, 2025)
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Five NHL Teams That Could Be A Good Fit For Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk Despite Blackhawks PTO at Yahoo Sports NHL (Sat Sep 20, 2025)
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Report: Avalanche Could Still Have Interest in UFA Defenseman at Colorado Hockey Now (Sat Sep 20, 2025)
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3 Things We Learned From Day 1 of Avalanche Training Camp at Colorado Hockey Now (Thu Sep 18, 2025)
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10 Observations Heading Into Avalanche Training Camp at Colorado Hockey Now (Thu Sep 18, 2025)
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Keys to the Stanley Cup Part 4: Colorado Avalanche climb to the peak at Mile High Sticking (Thu Sep 11, 2025)
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Colorado Avalanche Season Preview: Defensemen at The Hockey Writers (Tue Sep 9, 2025)
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Avalanche could remind Blues fans what real contender depth looks like at Bleedin' Blue (Mon Sep 8, 2025)
Current Contract
Standard Contract (RFA) ( )  (0 ratings)
Standard Contract (UFA) ( )  (0 ratings)
| Season | Age* | Clause | Cap Hit | AAV | Perf. Bonus | Sign. Bonus | Salary | Compensation | Minors Salary | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 25 | $850,000 | $850,000 | - | $75,000 | $775,000 | $850,000 | $150,000 | RFA | ||
| 2024-25 | 26 | $850,000 | $850,000 | - | $75,000 | $775,000 | $850,000 | $150,000 | RFA | ||
| Total | - | $150,000 | $1,550,000 | $1,700,000 | $300,000 |
Career Statistics
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | Shots | Sh% | TOI/G | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | Shots | Sh% | TOI/G |
| 2014-15 | USHS-MN | Lakeville South High | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2015-16 | USHS-MN | Lakeville South High | 25 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 8 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2016-17 | USHS-MN | Lakeville South High | 24 | 5 | 22 | 27 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
| 2016-17 | UMHSEHL | Team MAP South Hockey | 20 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 2017-18 | NAHL | Bismarck Bobcats | 28 | 1 | 9 | 10 | -5 | 8 | ||||||||||||
| 2017-18 | USHL | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders | 19 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -1 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 2018-19 | NAHL | Bismarck Bobcats | 59 | 14 | 31 | 45 | +20 | 24 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2019-20 | NCAA | Cornell Univ. | 25 | 4 | 12 | 16 | +14 | 12 | ||||||||||||
| 2021-22 | NCAA | Cornell Univ. | 32 | 5 | 18 | 23 | +20 | 26 | ||||||||||||
| 2022-23 | NCAA | Cornell Univ. | 34 | 8 | 18 | 26 | +10 | 29 | ||||||||||||
| 2022-23 | AHL | Colorado Eagles | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | +4 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 2 | |||||||||
| 2023-24 | NHL | Colorado Avalanche | 23 | 3 | 7 | 10 | +3 | 6 | 31 | 9.7 | 14:14 | |||||||||
| 2023-24 | AHL | Colorado Eagles | 46 | 5 | 22 | 27 | +5 | 20 | 3 | 2 | 2 | -3 | ||||||||
| 2024-25 | NHL | Colorado Avalanche | 76 | 5 | 10 | 15 | +8 | 16 | 115 | 4.3 | 15:57 | 5 | 1 | 1 | +3 | 4 | 9 | 0.0 | 14:00 | |
| 2025-26 | NHL | Colorado Avalanche | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | +2 | 2 | 18 | 5.6 | 14:58 | |||||||||
| NHL Career | 110 | 9 | 21 | 30 | +13 | 24 | 164 | 5.5 | 15:30 | 5 | 1 | 1 | +3 | 4 | 9 | 0.0 | 14:00 | |||
