Confirmed with Link: Avs Sign D Sam Malinski to ELC

[SaltySkywalker]

Most men can grow 6" at will. Doubt that's an issue.

Wow. Dick move.

 

[Foppa2118]

Byram-Malinski is basically the same stylistic pairing as Toews-Makar. Being able to roll out a 2.0 version back to back could be very beneficial.

I think Manson is the best pairing for Bo to play his game, but I also think Bo and Malinski showed flashes of working as well. Both smart defenseman that read off each other well.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Byram-Malinski is basically the same stylistic pairing as Toews-Makar. Being able to roll out a 2.0 version back to back could be very beneficial.

I think Manson is the best pairing for Bo to play his game, but I also think Bo and Malinski showed flashes of working as well. Both smart defenseman that read off each other well.

Ya even jones-malinski played well together. We do need to give them some good forwards to play with though.

 

[Avs9296]

Byram-Malinski is basically the same stylistic pairing as Toews-Makar. Being able to roll out a 2.0 version back to back could be very beneficial.

I think Manson is the best pairing for Bo to play his game, but I also think Bo and Malinski showed flashes of working as well. Both smart defenseman that read off each other well.

They're about the same as Rosie O'Donnell is to Margot Robbie.

Sure they're both women, but that's about as close as they get.

 

[Pokecheque]

Sam Malinski Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Salary, Title | Hockey-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats of Sam Malinski. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, trade, draft, salary and more on Hockey-Reference.com

www.hockey-reference.com

Malinski so far has averaged around 14 minutes per game. Last game against the Flyers he played exactly 13 minutes. His overall possession metrics are just a hair under 50%. So he's getting roughly third-pairing minutes and he's not exactly driving play, but he's also getting a LOT of defensive zone starts (roughly 33% of his starts are in the offensive zone).

So, there's a lot of stuff to put in context. He's getting a decent amount of ice time, especially for a third pairing guy on a team that is riding the living hell out of their top two guys, and he's having to do a lot of defensive zone starts since the top four get the monster's share of draws at the other end. I'm too lazy to look at his QoC/QoT but I imagine that's playing a part in all this as well.

So all in all I cannot complain about this level of play/production from the third pairing. I'd be concerned about giving him a top four role at this early stage but right now as a #5 and option on the 2nd unit power play, he's been quite good.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Its the playoffs that im worried about but through the regular season, im very happy with malinski as a 3rd pairing guy. We do still need another solid RHD for the playoffs though. I do not want makar and toews to have so much PK time in the playoffs.

 

[Balthazar]

Its the playoffs that im worried about but through the regular season, im very happy with malinski as a 3rd pairing guy.

Not just the playoffs. We've seen before undersized dman look good from the start and then fade very quickly. I'm going to wait longer to see if he's another Victor Mete/Will Butcher before penciling him as a regular in the top 6.

 

[henchman21]

Its the playoffs that im worried about but through the regular season, im very happy with malinski as a 3rd pairing guy. We do still need another solid RHD for the playoffs though. I do not want makar and toews to have so much PK time in the playoffs.

Therein lies the problem with this type of defender. It isn't that Malinski can't produce offense or be a factor... it is more that unless he can take a middle pairing role and 2nd PP duties, he's unlikely to stick long-term. Teams really prefer their bottom pairing guys to be low event and able to take PK minutes to limit the top guys. The old days of a bottom pairing PP specialist are pretty much done.

Malinski looks to me like a Butcher sort. Able to provide offense and puck movement, but a liability and can't PK. The defense has to shore up and he has to learn how to PK to stick long-term. Entirely possible, but we need to see it.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Therein lies the problem with this type of defender. It isn't that Malinski can't produce offense or be a factor... it is more that unless he can take a middle pairing role and 2nd PP duties, he's unlikely to stick long-term. Teams really prefer their bottom pairing guys to be low event and able to take PK minutes to limit the top guys. The old days of a bottom pairing PP specialist are pretty much done.

Malinski looks to me like a Butcher sort. Able to provide offense and puck movement, but a liability and can't PK. The defense has to shore up and he has to learn how to PK to stick long-term. Entirely possible, but we need to see it.

I can see him being able to eat 3rd pairing ES minutes. Strongish along the boards and the NHL prioritizes transition defense especially in the regular season. But in the post season, the game is vastly different. Also Makar and Toews playing PK shouldnt be the long term plan to accomodate a bottom pairing dman. I wonder if hes built up some value and we can just trade him now for a bottom pairing d, would love an andrew peeke type.

 

[Foppa2118]

They're about the same as Rosie O'Donnell is to Margot Robbie.

Sure they're both women, but that's about as close as they get.

Say what you want, they both play similar styles as their counterpart.

Byram and Toews play a cerebral two way game. Makar and Malinski play a shoot first attacking game, and even make a lot of the same moves with the puck.

Stylistically they're a very similar pairing.

 

[Avs9296]

Say what you want, they both play similar styles as their counterpart.

Byram and Toews play a cerebral two way game. Makar and Malinski play a shoot first attacking game, and even make a lot of the same moves with the puck.

Stylistically they're a very similar pairing.

Ok, but much much worse.

 

[Pokecheque]

Probably not a good idea to sign a player only to trade him less than a year later but…a RH defenseman with offensive ability who can skate would be rather enticing to some teams…

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Probably not a good idea to sign a player only to trade him less than a year later but…a RH defenseman with offensive ability who can skate would be rather enticing to some teams…

I can't believe I'm about to type this...but if he gets blocked by JMFJ for the rest of the season when the Avs are fully healthy, I could see him requesting a trade this summer. Or were you talking about moving him at the deadline in a deal to upgrade for this year's run?

 

[Balthazar]

Probably not a good idea to sign a player only to trade him less than a year later but…a RH defenseman with offensive ability who can skate would be rather enticing to some teams…

Not always. Nashville can't even trade Barrie

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Therein lies the problem with this type of defender. It isn't that Malinski can't produce offense or be a factor... it is more that unless he can take a middle pairing role and 2nd PP duties, he's unlikely to stick long-term. Teams really prefer their bottom pairing guys to be low event and able to take PK minutes to limit the top guys. The old days of a bottom pairing PP specialist are pretty much done.

Malinski looks to me like a Butcher sort. Able to provide offense and puck movement, but a liability and can't PK. The defense has to shore up and he has to learn how to PK to stick long-term. Entirely possible, but we need to see it.

We can always trade him for a pick or player. Positive thing to have.

 

[Pokecheque]

I can't believe I'm about to type this...but if he gets blocked by JMFJ for the rest of the season when the Avs are fully healthy, I could see him requesting a trade this summer. Or were you talking about moving him at the deadline in a deal to upgrade for this year's run?

I was talking about the deadline. But I can kinda see why JJ isn’t sat in favor of Malinski. Much as I almost blindly prize skill over everything else, the defensive corps basically being rounded out beyond the top pairing with Girard, Manson, Byram, and Malinski doesn’t exactly instill me with confidence.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I was talking about the deadline. But I can kinda see why JJ isn’t sat in favor of Malinski. Much as I almost blindly prize skill over everything else, the defensive corps basically being rounded out beyond the top pairing with Girard, Manson, Byram, and Malinski doesn’t exactly instill me with confidence.

Yeah, I agree and with Bo or G being that LD, I can see why Bednar would want a heavier hitter to pair with them. But, I think Sam has shown he belongs in the NHL. That's why I have a little concern about how he might take being bumped. Bednar's going to trust, who he's going to trust and I can't say I blame him if he goes with JMFJ.

I also don't want to really speak anything new into the universe, but the Avs will never, ever be fully healthy. Unless we pick up another Dman at the deadline, I think Malinski's the first to get inserted into the lineup if an injury occurs or if Cale goes ballistic and decides to test George Parros' limit on repeat offender's goonery.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Not always. Nashville can't even trade Barrie

I mean Malinski’s contract would be far more attractive in a situation if he was to be traded.

 

[Pokecheque]

Yeah, I agree and with Bo or G being that LD, I can see why Bednar would want a heavier hitter to pair with them. But, I think Sam has shown he belongs in the NHL. That's why I have a little concern about how he might take being bumped. Bednar's going to trust, who he's going to trust and I can't say I blame him if he goes with JMFJ.

I also don't want to really speak anything new into the universe, but the Avs will never, ever be fully healthy. Unless we pick up another Dman at the deadline, I think Malinski's the first to get inserted into the lineup if an injury occurs or if Cale goes ballistic and decides to test George Parros' limit on repeat offender's goonery.

Yeah I fully agree, the Avs will always be dealing with injuries. Always.

As for the depth defense, what I’d like to see is either faster guys (who can still win puck battles down low) OR, a minor tweak to the existing PK system that spreads the d-men out a little more, because IMO the reason why Bednar is still too reliant on Toews/Makar to kill penalties is because he has his blueline too close to the net instead of closer to the corners where they’d have a much better chance of getting to loose pucks. It’s why big, slow defensemen are usually so ineffective in that system, including JMFJ.

 

[barriers]

 

[GirardSpinorama]

I mean Malinski’s contract would be far more attractive in a situation if he was to be traded.

And barrie isnt without trade value. We really dont know.

 

[henchman21]

Malinski is more Gustafsson than Barrie. IMO the ceiling of Malinski is basically Erik Gustafsson. A guy who can pile up points on bad teams and PP roles... but floats around the NHL because teams don't want to commit to him as he's ideally a 5/6D who you hide and put on the PP. Gus is a perfectly fine hockey play and looks like he's going to have 5-600 games in the league. But he typically plays on a bad team, gets traded to a playoff team that needs offensive help near the deadline... rinse and repeat.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

Malinski is more Gustafsson than Barrie. IMO the ceiling of Malinski is basically Erik Gustafsson. A guy who can pile up points on bad teams and PP roles... but floats around the NHL because teams don't want to commit to him as he's ideally a 5/6D who you hide and put on the PP. Gus is a perfectly fine hockey play and looks like he's going to have 5-600 games in the league. But he typically plays on a bad team, gets traded to a playoff team that needs offensive help near the deadline... rinse and repeat.

If you can get an Erik Gustafsson for free (Malinski was a free agent signing), you are doing pretty well!

Although I think Malinski has a bit more upside than Gustafsson…

 

[henchman21]

If you can get an Erik Gustafsson for free (Malinski was a free agent signing), you are doing pretty well!

Although I think Malinski has a bit more upside than Gustafsson…

In the year the Gus was just allowed to be Gus... he put up 60 points. He'd pretty much be a given in limited minutes to provide 35+ a season if he plays enough games. That is quite the ceiling offensively. The problem with Gus is he's a net negative playing a top 4 role... so he only gets limited minutes and games. For Malinski to provide more, he has to show he can play a top 4 role on a good team and not be a liability defensively. That's the key.

 

[Pokecheque]

If they're using Malinski and Johnson in a 6/7 sort of role I'm kind of okay with that.