Breaking News: Avalanche Waives Veteran Defenseman – Exclusive Insights on Sam Malinski’s Team Future

In a surprising move, the Colorado Avalanche placed veteran defenseman Brad Hunt on waivers on Saturday afternoon. If he successfully clears waivers on Sunday, he will join the Colorado Eagles for their training camp. This decision comes as a surprise considering Hunt’s performance during training camp, where he appeared to be the best candidate for the team’s seventh defenseman position. Last season, the 35-year-old played 47 games for the team and contributed with some impactful goals.

In addition to Hunt, the Avalanche also waived defenseman Jack Ahcan, who was signed as a free agent during the summer.

Assuming both Hunt and Ahcan clear waivers and join the Eagles, the current seventh defenseman on the roster is Sam Malinski, but that could change in the future.

The Avalanche are not required to finalize their full roster until Monday, giving them time to make further moves. Malinski is not subject to waivers, so if Hunt and Ahcan clear, the Avalanche will have the flexibility to make decisions regarding their defensive lineup.

If the Avalanche decide to start the season with Malinski as their seventh defenseman, it would be a significant achievement for the 25-year-old and a surprising choice. However, based on his performance in the preseason games, he has not appeared NHL-ready. He has shown hesitancy and made mistakes on the ice, and his role on the penalty kill or powerplay is unclear.

In regard to Malinski’s performance, coach Jared Bednar has expressed mixed opinions, stating, “I think he’s had a couple of preseason games where he’s been really good, and a couple of preseason games where he’s been not so good. The consistency side of it has to improve, but he certainly has a great set of tools and started to use his strengths more as camp’s gone on.”

Although it may be preferable for Malinski to play games in the AHL rather than remain in the press box, his age of 25 may influence the staff’s decision to work with him daily during practice to aid in his development.

Overall, it seems that the Avalanche’s defensive roster is not yet set. There is time for further movement, and anything could happen at this point. The Avalanche are aiming for maximum flexibility with their roster decisions.

The Avalanche will resume practice on Sunday afternoon, and CHN will provide updates on the team.