DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today the team has signed defenseman Brett Kulak to a five-year contract extension through the 2030-31 season.

Kulak, 32, was originally acquired by the Avalanche in a trade with Pittsburgh on Feb. 24, 2026 and tallied three points (0g/3a) in 27 regular-season showings for Colorado over 19:08 of average time on ice per game. His 2025-26 regular season consisted of playing for the Edmonton Oilers and Penguins in addition to the Avalanche where he totaled 12 points (1g/11a) in 83 contests. Kulak was the only NHLer to skate in 83 games last season. Additionally, he dressed in his 600^th  career NHL contest on Nov. 15 at Carolina and notched his 100^th career assist on Dec. 30 vs. Carolina.

The 6-foot-1, 192-pound defenseman was in the lineup for all 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Avalanche in 2026 and chipped in five points (1g/4a) and logged 20:38 of time on ice per game. The goal was his first with the Burgundy and Blue, regular season or postseason, and it came as the overtime-winner in Game 5 of the Second Round (May 13) to send the Avalanche to the Western Conference Final. It was the third time a defenseman scored a series clinching overtime goal in Avalanche/Nordiques history and the first since Sandis Ozolinsh (Game 6 of the 1996 Conference Semifinal) did it 30 years to the date prior to Kulak’s. Additionally, Kulak’s marker was the 10^th time an Avalanche/Nordiques skater sent the team to the next round with an overtime tally and the first instance since Artturi Lehkonen in Game 4 of the 2022 Western Conference Final (June 6, 2022). 

A native of Edmonton, Alberta, Kulak has registered 137 points (29g/108a) in 663 career regular-season games with Colorado, Pittsburgh, Edmonton, the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames from 2014-26. The last 370 of those games have come consecutively and he enters 2026-27 with the ninth-longest active “Iron Man” streak in the NHL. The left-shot defenseman has also added 29 points (4g/25a) over 111 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests and has been a member of three teams that have made it to the Stanley Cup Final (2023-24 and 2024-25 Oilers, 2020-21 Canadiens). Kulak’s 111 playoff games lead all NHL defensemen since making his postseason debut in 2020 and are second among all skaters in that span behind only Corey Perry (126).

Originally drafted by the Flames in the fourth round (105^th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft, Kulak appeared in 136 AHL games over parts of the 2012-19 campaigns (13g/41a). He was also a member of the then-ECHL Colorado Eagles for part of 2014-15. Prior to turning pro, Kulak played for the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants from 2010-14 and amassed 128 points (35g/93a) in 216 regular-season contests.

For the 14th year, nonprofit Hawaii Island LGBTQ+ Pride will host a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community this Saturday in downtown Hilo, featuring a parade and festival.

The theme and slogan of this year’s festivities is “Strong Together, Proud Forever!” said HILGBTQ+ Vice President Phill Russell. He said the event’s planning committee chose the slogan to highlight the need to show resilience and strength amid the current political climate. The Trump administration has rolled back numerous protections for LGBTQ+ individuals.

“The LGBTQ+ community is facing a lot of challenges federally, and so it just becomes even more important for us to stand together,” Russell said. “We appreciate everyone in the community, all of our allies, everyone that steps up and helps uplift the LGBTQ+ community, calls out stigma and homophobia and transphobia when they see it, and looks out for our LGBTQ plus brothers and sisters here on the island.”

While he said the event has drawn some protesters in recent years, it is a small number compared to the 500 to 700 community members he estimates typically attend to celebrate and show support.

“Luckily, all the supporters in the love far outnumber the hate in the bigotry, so we’re able to kind of ignore that,” he said. “We are getting record-breaking crowds that increase every single year. Seeing all of the folks, the families — it’s very heartwarming.”

Russell said that he thinks having public events such as this one play a role in advancing LGBTQ+ rights and reducing hate and stigma.

“I feel like it’s important to keep Pride going, because the visibility matters … .,” he said. “It’s hard to hate someone for being gay when you generally like them, and you’re already friends with them, and you’ve been friends with them forever, or they’re your kid or they’re your auntie — so that kind of … breaks down those walls.”

While Pride events take place around the world throughout the month of June, Russell said the Hilo celebration is special, with a focus on being community-oriented and family-friendly.

“I’ve been told by so many people that come from other islands, from other events like, ‘wow, this is like the most wholesome, family-friendly Pride I’ve ever been to,” he said. “It’s that Hilo touch, that Big Island touch, that makes it what it is and all the people that come together to make it happen.”

This year’s parade will begin at 11 a.m. starting at Kamehameha Avenue and Ponahawai Street proceeding down Keawe Street, back to Kamehameha, and ending at the Mo‘oheau Bandstand, where the festival will kick off at noon.

The festivities will continue until 4:30 p.m., featuring drag and aerial arts performances, dozens of local vendors and info booths, food, a bounce-house, scavenger hunt for kids and live music.

“There’s a great lineup of bands and performers at the bandstand,” Russell said. “We want everyone to come out and dance, enjoy the day. It’s going to be beautiful.”

Email Grace Inez Adams at grace.adams@hawaiitribune-herald.com.

A pair of stunning Montana ski homes are going under the hammer in the exclusive resort of Big Sky—where they could sell for well below their market value, having been offered up with no reserve.

Currently listed for a combined total of $13 million, the “exceptionally rare” dwellings are both located within the exclusive Spanish Peaks Mountain Club community—and come complete with full access to all of the incredible amenities that the private club has to offer, including “a Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole Championship Golf Course, a 10-hole Par 3 course, preferred access to Montage Big Sky, and a private clubhouse featuring dining, a bar, fitness center, pro shop, pool, and hot tub.”

Now, the properties will be sold off to the highest bidder when they are auctioned off with Trayor Lesnock, founder and president of Platinum Luxury Auctions, in cooperation with listing agents Greg Smith and Amelia Turbyfill of Engel & Völkers.

The larger of the two residences, which are both currently owned by Mark and Jennifer Kozubal, was placed on the market for $7.25 million in 2025, having been completed in 2023. It was more recently listed for the reduced price of $6.68 million.

Spanning more than 4,200 square feet, it features five bedrooms and five bathrooms, as well as a beautiful chef’s kitchen, ideal for hosting large groups. There are also “multiple living areas designed for entertaining and hosting family and friends,” according to the listing.

Combining classic Alpine style with “sleek, modern finishes,” the property offers both comfort and elegance, as well as incredible privacy, thanks to its plum location at the end of a quiet street.

Boasting incredible proximity to both the club’s golf courses and the Big Sky slopes, the property features an array of amenities designed to create a relaxing sanctuary where owners and their guests can retreat after a busy day of sporting activity.

“After a day on the ski slopes or a round of golf, relax in your private hot tub, cozy up by the fireplace, or cook a meal in the chef-inspired kitchen,” the description states.

The second property offers just under 3,000 square feet of living space, including four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms—as well as “direct ski-in, ski-out access with groomed connectivity to Big Sky Resort terrain,” according to its listing.

Much like the other residence, the second dwelling—which was brought to the market in January with an asking price of $6.25 million—has been designed specifically for those with a passion for outdoor living, providing the ideal setting in which to unwind after a long day of skiing or golfing.

“The residence includes open-concept living spaces designed for gathering after skiing, hiking, or riding, complemented by warm mountain finishes throughout,” the listing notes.

For those seeking to enjoy year-round life on the mountain, the property has been outfitted with a number of unique features that ensure a comfortable, luxurious experience no matter the weather, including “whole-home humidification and water purification systems.”

Beyond the impressive infrastructure, other alluring amenities include a “full-home audio and visual system,” as well as a dedicated eight-locker ski boot room that opens directly onto the nearest ski trail.

“Outdoor amenities include beautiful landscaping and a stone fireplace seating area positioned along the ski trail, with expansive views to the surrounding mountains,” the listing description continues.

However, perhaps the most tempting aspect of both properties is the fact that they could be sold for well below market value—presenting a truly rare opportunity for buyers to secure property in an area where luxury home sales are booming and price tags are regularly set in the seven-figure range.

“Opportunities like these are exceptionally rare in Big Sky,” seller Mark Kozubal explains. “These two Spanish Peaks Highlands homes offer true ski-in/ski-out access to a lightly used lift that connects directly into Big Sky Resort, creating an almost private ski experience with little to no wait.

“Combined with the privacy, beauty, and prestige of Spanish Peaks, these properties stand apart as truly unique mountain residences.”

Both properties are conveniently located within one of the most exclusive enclaves in Big Sky, offering proximity to both the area’s stunning ski resorts and the Yellowstone Club, which has long been one of the most star-studded neighborhoods in the area.

Among those celebrities who are rumored to have purchased properties at the Yellowstone club are NFL star Tom Brady, musician Justin Timberlake and his actress wife Jessica Biel, and Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates.

“Spanish Peaks is one of the premier private residential clubs in the West,” the club’s website notes. “Here, you can experience world-class skiing and golf, fine food and drink, spectacular natural beauty and so much more. This is mountain living at its best.”

Auctioneer Lesnock emphasizes that the opportunity to secure homes in such a luxury-leaning market for what could be a truly bargain price is not something that happens very often.

“Single-family homes within Spanish Peaks have solidly maintained an entry point of at least $5 million, so the ability for buyers to ‘name their price’ in these without reserve auctions represents a substantial purchase opportunity compared to this status quo,” he explains.

“In addition to the high caliber of each property, the community’s world-class golf, ski and wellness amenities are integral parts of the overall formula that continues to attract affluent, second-home buyers to Spanish Peaks from around the world.”

As for why the owners have chosen to pursue an auction, rather than waiting for the homes to sell in a more traditional manner, Lesnock says this process will help them to secure a sale in a timely manner, without having to hang around for months on end in the hopes that a buyer will come forward.

“Under the luxury auction process, we’re giving buyers not only that economic purchase opportunity, but also the guarantee of a seamless, non-contingent sale, free of the haggling and aggravations that can plague traditional, luxury property transactions,” he shares.

“The sellers also benefit in accord, knowing they have a date-certain sale and a clear path to their ‘Next Step.’”