Cornell University Professional Athletes

Cornell Alumni in the NHL | Week of Oct. 4–10, 2026

Sam Malinski is barely a week into the NHL season and he's already generating headlines in Colorado — for the right reasons.

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar made a notable roster or role decision involving the Cornell-bred defenseman early in the 2026–27 campaign, one that Sports Illustrated characterized as an "early statement" by the organization. The specifics of that decision signal that Colorado sees more than a depth option in Malinski; they see a piece worth building around — or at least featuring — right out of the gate. For a Big Red fan base that watched Malinski develop in Ithaca, the moment is validating. He suited up Saturday, Oct. 10 as the Avalanche dropped a 6-3 decision to the Maple Leafs, but the context surrounding his role entering the season is the real story, not the final score on night one.

Malinski isn't the only Cornell alum suiting up in Colorado this year. Matthew Stienburg, a center also on the Avalanche roster, gives Ithaca a two-man contingent on one of the league's most watched teams.

A Strong Night in Anaheim

The better individual night among Cornell's alumni corps this week belonged to Jeff Malott. The left winger posted two assists and a plus-2 rating as the Ducks handled the Jets convincingly, 5-1, on Saturday. It's an encouraging early showing for Malott, who'll look to carve out consistent ice time in Anaheim's lineup. Cornell teammate Travis Mitchell also dressed for the Ducks in that game, giving the Big Red another representative on the ice — though Mitchell didn't register a point in the box score.

On the other side of that Ducks-Jets matchup, Morgan Barron was held off the scoresheet as Winnipeg absorbed the lopsided loss. The Jets center will be looking for a bounce-back performance as the schedule rolls on.

Around the League

Hoyt Stanley and the Senators picked up a 3-2 win over the Predators on Saturday, a solid early result for Ottawa. Stanley's role and ice time remain worth monitoring as the season develops.

The week's broader picture for Cornell's NHL alumni reflects a program quietly punching above its weight at the pro level. Between Malinski's elevated profile in Denver, Malott's two-point night in Anaheim, and representatives scattered across multiple franchises, the Big Red's pipeline into professional hockey is alive and productive.

The Malinski story in particular is one to follow. Bednar doesn't make roster decisions as "statements" for players without expectations attached. Cornell fans should keep a close eye on how that role evolves over the coming weeks.

Sam Malinski isn't satisfied. After posting a 40-point season that announced him as a legitimate NHL defenseman, the Cornell product is back at Avalanche training camp this week with a clear message: that was the floor, not the ceiling.

Malinski's breakout campaign turned heads in Denver and across the league. For a blue-liner who came out of Ithaca without the fanfare of a first-round pedigree, 40 points is the kind of season that reshapes a career arc — and reshapes how a franchise allocates ice time and responsibility. He enters camp not as a prospect proving himself, but as an established contributor with something to build on.

The Avalanche already have a Cornell connection well established in their locker room. Jacob MacDonald and Matthew Stienburg also carry Big Red credentials in Colorado, making Cornell one of the more quietly productive NCAA pipelines feeding the franchise. But Malinski is now the standard-bearer of that group, and his trajectory heading into 2026–27 gives the Avalanche every reason to lean on him further.

What makes Malinski's story compelling isn't just the production — it's the timing. Defensemen tend to hit their prime later than forwards, and at this stage of his development, the raw numbers may still be lagging behind his actual impact. If the offensive breakout is now baked in, the next step is consistency and playoff-level reliability, the kind of performance that separates good NHL blueliners from indispensable ones.

Cornell has long been a sleeper producer of NHL-caliber talent despite playing in the ECAC, a conference that rarely dominates draft coverage. Malinski's rise is the latest proof that the program can develop players who don't just stick in the league, but thrive in it. The Big Red faithful who watched him come through Lynah Rink have plenty of reason to have Avalanche games circled this fall.

Training camp is always a fresh page, but Malinski arrives at his with more leverage than most. The question isn't whether he belongs — he settled that last season. The question now is how much higher the ceiling goes.