GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The Colorado Avalanche announced today that North Dakota senior center Brad Malone has signed an entry level contract with the National Hockey League franchise.

Malone, a fourth-round draft pick (105th overall) of Colorado in 2007, will join Colorado's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, this week for the first round of the AHL playoffs.

A native of Miramichi, New Brunswick, Malone recently completed his collegiate career at UND with 85 points (33 goals, 52 assists) in 161 games. He also logged 329 career penalty minutes, making him only the fourth player in the history of Fighting Sioux men's hockey to amass at least 75 career points and 275 career penalty minutes. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound will graduate ranked sixth all-time at UND in career PIM and tied for eighth all-time in career penalties (132).

Malone enjoyed his best collegiate season as a senior in 2010-11, playing in 43 games and achieving career highs in goals (16), assists (24), points (40), power-play goals (six), shorthanded goals (two), game-winning goals (five) and plus/minus (+22). He was named to the all-tournament team at the NCAA Midwest Regional after registering three goals, one assist, and a +3 rating in wins over No. 5 Denver and No. 16 Rensselaer.

Malone also won 57.7 percent of his faceoffs in 2010-11, the fourth-best single-season mark in program history. He enjoyed 13 multi-point games, and was named Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Offensive Player of the Week on Dec. 14 after collecting a goal and three assists in UND's sweep at Minnesota State University, Mankato (Dec. 10-12).

A recreation and tourism studies major, Malone was named to the 2010-11 WCHA All-Academic Team and the UND Athletics Director's Fall Honor Roll.

Malone has several family ties to the NHL. His father, Jim, was a first-round pick (14th overall) of the New York Rangers in 1980. His cousin, Ryan Malone, currently plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning, while his uncle, Greg Malone, spent 11 seasons in the NHL with Pittsburgh, Hartford and Quebec, and is now a scout for the Phoenix Coyotes.

Malone becomes the third Sioux senior to sign a professional contract since the end of the 2010-11 season. His linemate, Matt Frattin, signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs last Friday and made his NHL debut the following night. Defenseman Chay Genoway signed with the Minnesota Wild yesterday.

Malone's Career Statistics

Year	GP	G	A	Pts.	Pen.	PPG	SHG	GWG	+/-
2007-08	34	1	2	3	18/44	0	0	0	E
2008-09	41	5	12	17	32/75	0	1	1	+5
2009-10	43	11	14	25	39/102	0	2	2	+14
2010-11	43	16	24	40	43/108	6	2	5	+22
Totals	161	33	52	85	132/329	6	5	8	+41