Central Notes: Kealty, Malinski, McCarron
According to a new article from Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean, the Nashville Predators have interviewed Assistant General Manager Jeff Kealty for their General Manager vacancy. Still, even if he doesn’t land the job, Kealty articulated that he’d like to remain with the Predators moving forward.
Now that David Poile and Barry Trotz have moved on, Kealty likely has the lengthiest tenure in Nashville of anyone in the organization. He began with the club ahead of the 2001-02 season as an amateur scout.
Kealty remained as a scout until being promoted to the Predators’ Director of Scouting in 2007. He held that position for a decade before being appointed the team’s Assistant General Manager, where he continues to serve today. Still, given the lengthy hiring process, it’s becoming increasingly likely that Nashville will hire from outside the organization to lead the team’s front office. Kealty would be more of the same, having served only under Poile and Trotz throughout his off-ice career.
Additional notes from the Central Division:
- Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette reported that Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski is practicing with the team in a non-contact jersey. Malinski missed Colorado’s final two games of Round Two due to an upper-body injury. Given that the team has sustained only one loss through the postseason so far, it’s hard to imagine the Avalanche not reaching the Stanley Cup Final if they’re able to ice a healthy roster in the Western Conference Final.
- Heading into the offseason, the Minnesota Wild have six forwards on the roster that are set to hit unrestricted free agency in a few weeks. According to Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic, trade deadline acquisition Michael McCarron would like to say, but for the right price. McCarron was humbled that the Wild pursued them as aggressively as they did at the deadline, but also noted that he’s at a point in his career where he’d like some security. Given his playstyle, he may pursue a contract similar to William Carrier of the Carolina Hurricanes, who favored term over AAV a few years ago.
Snapshots: Wild, Avalanche, Liiga
Minnesota Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian is out tonight, with Jeff Petry slotting in, noted by Michael Russo of The Athletic. The soon-to-be 36-year-old, already not the fleetest of foot, has been battling a lower body injury which cost him Game 2 of the series. In nine playoff games, he’s averaging 12:45 a night, not surprisingly coming away with no points as a traditional shutdown rearguard.
Petry, another veteran at age 38, makes his third playoff appearance of the spring for the Wild after a five year hiatus, last doing so as a Canadien in 2021. No longer a high point-getter, Petry’s possession metrics at five-on-five have actually held steady, over the 53% mark in corsi for with the Wild in a small sample size.
Down three games to one in the series, it’s fair to wonder if this could be it for either of the veterans, if unable to extend their season tonight. Petry has the distinction of being one of seven remaining active players from the 2006 draft class, while Bogosian is one of two active former Atlanta Thrashers (the other being Evander Kane). Before that’s even any possibility though, the Wild have a prime chance to capitalize on a banged up Colorado lineup.
Elsewhere:
- On the opposite side, the Avalanche are again missing Artturi Lehkonen and Sam Malinski, relayed by Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports. Colorado has run it back with their same lineup from Game 4’s win, featuring Jack Ahcan on the third pairing, plucked right from the AHL in the midst of the Calder Cup Playoffs, and Joel Kiviranta on the fourth line. Both Lehkonen and Malinski are out with upper-body ailments which have sidelined them since Game 3.
- Tappara have brought home the 2026 Liiga Championship, their fourth since 2022. They defeated KooKoo in Game 7, after a memorable series which had previously brought the longest postseason game in league history, a four overtime marathon where Columbus prospect Oiva Keskinen netted the game winner for the eventual champs. Projected 2026 first round picks Oliver Suvanto and Juho Piiparinen were also part of the championship roster, the forward and defenseman thought to be late-first round options. In terms of other notable names, the youngsters skating alongside former fifth overall selection Olli Juolevi, as well as 20-year-old top Tampa Bay prospect Benjamin Rautiainen.
Avalanche Notes: Blackwood, Lehkonen, Malinski
The Colorado Avalanche appear ready to lean on the hot hand as they look to close out their second-round series against the Minnesota Wild. Following an optional morning skate at Ball Arena, Mackenzie Blackwood occupied the starter’s crease, a strong sign he will get the nod for tonight’s pivotal Game 5.
Blackwood appears to have earned the opportunity after a composed performance in Game 4, where he stopped 19 of 21 shots to help Colorado secure a 3-1 series lead.
Additional Notes:
- While the optional session was described as “pretty well attended,” the Avalanche were without two key fixtures: forward Artturi Lehkonen and defenseman Sam Malinski. Both players missed Game 4 with upper-body injuries, and their absence this morning could mean that they will remain unlikely to suit up for the potential clincher.
- The veteran winger, Lehkonen, has been a postseason engine for Colorado, providing elite two-way play and secondary scoring. On the back end, Malinski’s mobility will be missed if he cannot go, likely keeping Jack Ahcan in the lineup for a second straight game.
- With a chance to advance to the Western Conference Final on home ice, the Avalanche are prioritizing momentum in goal while navigating significant depth challenges. If Blackwood can replicate his Game 4 form, Colorado may secure the rest needed to get their sidelined stars back for the third round.
Avalanche Make Several Lineup Changes
Shortly before the puck dropped in Minnesota on Game 4 between the Avalanche and Wild, a number of lineup changes were revealed. Artturi Lehkonen and Sam Malinski are out, with MacKenzie Blackwood starting in goal, noted by Peter Baugh of The Athletic. Josh Manson has returned, along with Jack Ahcan who will make his NHL playoff debut. Finally, Joel Kiviranta is back with the forward group, skating on the fourth line.
Out of the several notes, most surprising is Lehkonen’s absence, apparently a result of an upper-body injury. A key role player always capable of stepping up in the spring, Lehkonen has three goals and six points in seven playoff games so far. Malinski is also a notable subtraction, the 27-year-old defenseman breaking out this year with 40 points, apparently dealing with the same ailment. His first and only career playoff goal broke the scoring in the opening game of the series against the Wild.
Nick Blankenburg, who filled in defensively for Manson and skated in the series’ first three games, is scratched. Today has been a whirlwind for the 28-year-old Ahcan, recalled earlier from the AHL, in the midst of the Colorado Eagles’ Calder Cup playoff run. Now he’s all set to play in a crucial game in his home state of Minnesota. To be chosen over Blankenburg, often size is a factor, as the smooth skater acquired from Nashville is just 5’9″. However, Ahcan is also smaller in stature, standing 5’8″, the difference being that he’s left-handed and forming a balance on the third pairing with the 6’3″ righty Manson.
Scott Wedgewood had started every game in the postseason for the Avs, the 33-year-old holding things down on the way to 31 wins in the regular season and a .921 save percentage, by far career highs. Still, the veteran was pulled after surrendering three goals on 12 shots in Game 3, prompting them to turn to Blackwood. The 29-year-old nearly split duty with Wedgewood throughout the campaign, and now he’ll get his eighth career playoff start, all with Colorado.
Manson and Kiviranta’s returns were expected. The defenseman Manson is finally cleared to make his playoff debut not having played since late April due to an upper-body injury. Kiviranta, meanwhile, hasn’t played since the second game of the first round series against Los Angeles, dealing with an undisclosed injury. It has been several years now, but still hard to forget the Finnish winger’s efforts in the 2020 playoffs as a Dallas Star, culminating in a Game 7 hat trick in the Western Conference Finals, taking down his current club in Colorado.
With their depth being put to the test, the door is wide open for the Wild to knot up the series 2-2 on home ice. If not, they’ll face a tall task, although Minnesota has overcome a 3-1 deficit in their history, part of their memorable 2003 run which was against Colorado, no less.
Avalanche Sign Sam Malinski To Four-Year Extension
The Avalanche announced they’ve signed defenseman Sam Malinski to a four-year contract extension. It carries an average annual value of $4.75MM for a total commitment of $19MM, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Malinski’s deal is paid almost entirely in base salary aside from a $1MM signing bonus in 2029-30, the last year of the deal, per PuckPedia. His salary breaks down as $5.5MM in 2026-27, $4.5MM in 2027-28 and 2028-29, and $3.5MM in 2028-29. He has a full no-trade clause from 2026-28 before downgrading to a 10-team no-trade list in 2028-29 and a six-team no-trade list in 2029-30.
It’s a big deal amid a big breakout for Malinski, who, at age 27, is in just his third professional season. Colorado signed the 5’11” righty as an undrafted free agent out of Cornell in 2023. He spent his first year in the organization bouncing between the NHL and AHL before obtaining a more stable role as a bottom-pairing threat last season.
This year, he’s still operating as the Avs’ third-pair righty behind Cale Makar and Brent Burns (Josh Manson has shifted to his offside on the second pairing), but his results have been those of a top-four piece. With 24 points in 50 games, he’s tied for 38th in the league in scoring among defenders, and his +26 rating is tied for sixth in the NHL. No one in the league has done more with less – among D-men at or above Malinski’s production, they’ve all averaged at least 19 minutes per game, while Malinski skates just 16:43 per contest.
Colorado’s multiple layers of starpower are impossible to ignore, but it’s the immense success of players near the bottom of the lineup like Malinski this season that have the Avs cruising toward their fourth Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history. Most frequently paired with Samuel Girard, they beat out both Makar’s and Burns’ pairings in expected goals against per 60 minutes at 2.24, per MoneyPuck. They’ve controlled 56.6% of them overall and have outscored 18-10 at 5-on-5.
It’s hard to overstate the uniqueness of Malinski’s path to this point. Initially draft-eligible way back in 2016, he spent the following season with his high school team in Minnesota. Only in his DY+2 did he jump to junior hockey, spending most of the next two seasons in the Tier II North American Hockey League with Bismarck before enrolling at Cornell as a 21-year-old freshman. Players with such a delayed development curve are usually long shots to even get an NHL call-up, let alone become a stable contributor on a Stanley Cup favorite.
Now, he cashes in throughout his prime while the Avs retain a potential succession policy to the 40-year-old Burns, who’s been spectacular after inking a one-year deal last summer. With Makar and Girard set to become UFAs in 2027 and Manson in 2028, Malinski is now the team’s second-longest signed defender behind Devon Toews, whose deal expires in 2031.
Image courtesy of Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.
Avalanche Notes: Third-Line Center, Landeskog, Malinski, Injuries
The Colorado Avalanche have a roster bursting at the seams with high-end talent, and as a result, many players enter this year’s training camp with their spot in the lineup relatively assured. But not all players have that luxury: Avalanche coach Jared Bednar told the media today, including outlet DNVR Avalanche, that the club considers its third-line center role to be among the few key spots in the lineup up for grabs in the preseason.
The Avalanche finished last season with veteran Charlie Coyle in that spot, but Coyle has since been traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Today, Bednar highlighted Ross Colton and Jack Drury as the two main contenders for the third-line center role. Colton, 29, is Bednar’s more experienced option. He is playing on a $4MM AAV contract that runs through 2026-27 and had a career-high 17 goals and 40 points in 2023-24, his first with the Avalanche. Competing with Colton is Drury, who arrived in Colorado from the Carolina Hurricanes as part of the first Mikko Rantanen trade. Drury’s resume does not suggest he has as much offensive ability as Colton, though Drury brings a more advanced defensive element to the picture – he factored into Colorado’s penalty kill last season while Colton did not. (1:24 average short-handed time-on-ice compared to Colton’s 0:05) Regardless of who ultimately prevails in this preseason lineup competition, it’s clear Bednar has an abundance of quality options to choose from at the center position – an extremely valuable asset for any coach.
Some other notes from Denver:
- The Denver Gazette’s Evan Rawal relayed word from Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog today that the veteran forward is a “full go” entering the 2025-26 campaign. That Landeskog will be able to play this season without restriction is notable due to the fact that he has missed a massive amount of time due to a complex knee issue. After captaining the Avalanche to a Stanley Cup championship in 2022, Landeskog missed the next three full regular seasons. He returned to play in five playoff games for Colorado, but given the length of his absence, there was some concern that Landeskog might be limited entering 2025-26. Based on today’s comments, it appears those worries can be dismissed.
- Jared Bednar told the media today, including Guerilla Sports’ Meghan Angley, that they will try to play right-handed defenseman Sam Malinski on the left side this season as a response to the club’s abundance of NHL-caliber right-shot blueliners. Malinski, 27, finished last season paired with the since-departed Ryan Lindgren on his right side, meaning this change will require a new adjustment from Malinski. The former Cornell standout broke into the NHL last season, scoring 15 points in 76 games whilst averaging nearly 16 miutes of time-on-ice per game. The offseason addition of veteran blueliner Brent Burns, who is a right shot, appears to be what has prompted this adjustment for Malinski.
- Colorado Hockey Now’s Aarif Deen reported updates on various injuries to Avalanche players today, including the club’s projected starting netminder. Per Deen, Mackenzie Blackwood is out week-to-week dealing with an offseason injury, but is hopeful to be ready within the first week or two of the regular season. Veteran Samuel Girard is dealing with a lower-body injury and will miss time in the preseason, but is hopeful to be ready for opening night. And finally veteran winger Logan O’Connor is dealing with a hip ailment, and is on track to miss the start of the season with a recovery timeline that places his return more in the range of early November.
Avalanche, Sam Malinski Agree To Terms On One-Way Contract
The Avalanche have agreed to terms with pending RFA defenseman Sam Malinski on a one-year deal worth $1.4MM, according to PuckPedia. The contract walks him to UFA status in 2026.
Malinski, 27 next month, needed a new deal after completing the two-year, two-way contract he signed to join Colorado as an undrafted free agent out of Cornell University in 2023. He split his first professional season between the NHL and AHL but emerged as a full-timer on the Avs’ blue line this past season, recording a 5-10–15 scoring line in 76 appearances. The 5’11” righty also appeared in five of seven playoff games for Colorado, logging his first postseason assist with a plus-three rating.
While Malinski wasn’t anything above a third-pairing piece at even strength and didn’t see any consistent special teams usage, he was still effective in his role. He averaged 15:57 per game and posted a plus-eight rating while being an apt shot-blocker, ranking third on the team with 107 blocks. His possession impacts were fine – a 52.2 CF% at even strength was pedestrian compared to his teammates, and his shot quality was identical at a 52.2 xGF%.
He’s emerged as a perfectly acceptable No. 6/7 option who’s a good skater with a good first pass. He’s not expected to top out as anything more than a depth transition defender, but that’s what he’s going to get paid as on his next deal for an Avs team that needs his skillset for their third pairing at an affordable price tag. The team is down to $7.55MM in cap space with six roster spots to fill after registering Malinski’s contract, per PuckPedia.
Evening Notes: Schultz, Coyotes Arena, Chinakhov, Malinski
Kraken defenseman Justin Schultz has left the team for personal reasons, relays Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. However, head coach Dave Hakstol is hopeful that the veteran will be able to rejoin the team in the coming days on their four-game road trip. The 33-year-old is having a bit of a quieter year offensively with just 16 points in 42 games so far; he had 34 in 73 contests last season. Seattle is still trying to climb back into the playoff picture but if they wind up selling closer to the deadline, Schultz could be an interesting addition to the market as a right-shot blueliner on a $3MM expiring contract.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- The long-running arena saga in Arizona could be taking another direction. PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reports (video link) that a local government source suggested that a new arena deal in North Phoenix could be wrapped up in the next three months. Their situation was discussed in an executive session (not open to the public) at a council meeting earlier this week with the meeting believed to have gone well. While there’s a long way to go before shovels are in the ground, it’s possible that the Coyotes could wind up with a new arena plan in the near future which could delay any potential talk of relocation.
- The Blue Jackets announced (Twitter link) that forward Yegor Chinakhov left tonight’s game versus Tampa Bay with an upper-body injury. After a slow start to his campaign following his early-November recall, the 23-year-old has become a capable contributor for Columbus, notching 14 goals and 10 assists in 39 games heading into tonight’s action.
- Following their loss to Florida, the Avalanche announced (Twitter link) that they’ve returned defenseman Sam Malinski to AHL Colorado. The 25-year-old was recalled on Tuesday and played that night but was scratched for their past two games. Malinski has 10 points in 23 games with the Avs so far while logging a little over 14 minutes a night and will likely be brought back up again in the coming days.
Transaction Notes: Brisson, Rempal, Malinski, Beckman
The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled forwards Brendan Brisson and Sheldon Rempal per a team announcement. In the same announcement, the team also recalled Jonas Rondbjerg as well as returning Daniil Miromanov from his conditioning stint, which was reported last night.
This set of transactions will give the Golden Knights a total of 14 forwards and seven defensemen available for their game tomorrow night against the Edmonton Oilers. Seeing their team decimated by several injuries already this season, Vegas’ organizational depth has been tested after their Stanley Cup Championship run last spring.
Playing in a combined eight games this year for the Golden Knights, Brisson, and Rempal will likely serve in the team’s bottom six, as neither player has averaged more than 12 minutes of ice time a game. Outside of the NHL, both Brisson and Rempal have been successful this year with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, scoring 12 goals and 20 goals, respectively.
Other notes:
- The Colorado Avalanche have announced that the team has recalled defenseman Sam Malinski from their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. Signing with the team as an undrafted free agent last season, Malinski’s first full season with the organization has been productive. In 22 games for the Eagles, Malinski has scored four goals and 13 points in 22 games, sitting third on the team in scoring among defensemen. In the exact amount of games played for the Avalanche, Malinski has put up three goals and 10 points while averaging a touch over 14 minutes of ice time per game.
- With Pat Maroon, Connor Dewar, and Vinni Lettieri still on the injured reserve, the Minnesota Wild have recalled forward Adam Beckman from the Iowa Wild to round out their depth. This will be Beckman’s first call-up of the 2023-24 season after failing to make the team out of training camp. Playing in 37 games for Iowa this year, Beckman has been relatively productive, scoring nine goals and 19 points in total.
Evening Snapshots: Malinski, Kesselring, Kemp
To make a roster spot for their newly signed veteran forward Zach Parise, the Colorado Avalanche announced they have reassigned defenseman Sam Malinski to their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. This reassignment will mark the fourth time that Malinski has been sent down to the AHL this season.
Called up on emergency loan in each of his four promotions to the Avalanche this season, Malinski has been quite effective in Denver, scoring three goals and 10 points in 22 games, averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time per night. In similar numbers to the NHL, Malinski has played in 20 games an hour north in Fort Collins for the Eagles, scoring three goals and nine points altogether.
Unlikely to be his last time playing for the Avalanche this season, Malinski has been one of the few bright prospects to rise through the ranks of the organization over the last several years. Still, Malinski was only acquired last season as an undrafted free agent coming out of Cornell University, and is a touch old compared to most prospects, already being 25 years old.
Other snapshots:
- A little past the halfway point in the third period in the team’s most recent game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Arizona Coyotes defenseman Michael Kesselring was given a double-minor for a cross-check on Maxwell Crozier, as well as a game misconduct. Today, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety delivered some supplemental discipline to Kesselring for the play in questioning, fining him a total of $2,408.85, the maximum allowable find under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
- Recalled only yesterday before the team’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Edmonton Oilers announced they have reassigned defenseman Philip Kemp to their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. Although not suiting up in last night’s game against the Blackhawks, Kemp was recalled for a lengthier callup only a few days ago, spending time on the Oilers from January 9th to January 23rd. Luckily, Kemp was able to make his NHL debut on January 13th against the Montreal Canadiens but was only able to play in about two minutes of that contest.