NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
- Mar 21, 2007
- 67,457
- 31,798
Maltsev was 63.1% on the dot in MHL this season, which is really impressive.
Sounds good, I'm tired of having centers that don't win faceoffs.
Maltsev was 63.1% on the dot in MHL this season, which is really impressive.
If Maltsev ends up being even half as good as Bratt has been so far, that would be amazing.
The book on him so far is he has the ceiling of a smart, somewhat gritty middle-six forward. I'd be thrilled if we got that out of him.
I'd say bring him over before he signs another 3 year deal over there. But do we then run the risk of him getting frustrated over lack of playing time and him running back to Russia never to return.A lot of the reports coming from this Four Nations Cup sound eeriely familiar to Bratt's Summer Showcase this past summer.
I wonder if they try to bring Maltsev over this summer. His contract ends after this season (17-18), whereas Rykov, Zaitsev, and Popugayev's end after (18-19). I would imagine SKA tries to lock him down to a long term but should be interesting to keep an eye on.
Good chance they try to convince the other three to come over together following 18-19 season if they continue performing well.
I have been impressed with him every time I have watched him play going back to when we drafted him. He's a physical beast at 6'3" who skates very well for his size. I'm not convinced of his offensive ceiling, but young players coming out of Russia are extremely hard to judge based on stats.This kid has looked fantastic in both games so far.
His KHL and underleague stats in Russia are, however, less than inspiring. Maybe he's just a late bloomer; so fingers-crossed he lights it up in Binghamton.
Corey Pronman said:Maltsev is a tough player for me to get a read on. He looks like an NHLer, yet he’s barely been able to make a dent in the KHL in his 20-year-old season. He did play for SKA, which is never an easy team to get ice time on, but it’s been a trend for years that the tools stand out with Maltsev but the results don’t follow. He’s a 6-foot-3 center with skill and vision, and his skating even has improved a bit, although he’s still not the quickest. I’ve seen shifts where he winds up, goes through a few opponents and generates a chance. That consistency hasn’t been there in his game though.
The Athletic said:“(Maltsev’s) played for one of the top, if not the top, KHL teams in SKA St. Petersburg and he wants to come to North America,” Fitzgerald said. “He wants to come. I’m going to have a talk with his agent. You can imagine the pressure he gets over there to sign and stay home, but I think the most important thing is the desire and passion of this kid to come play in North America. They can’t play in the NHL from over there, especially at 20. That’s what is impressive to us is he wants to do this. He can make a lot of money right now as a guy in the KHL, so we’ll be trying to work out a contract with his agent.”
Maltsev has been a bit of a mystery since the Devils drafted him. He did play for Russia at the world juniors last year and earned some KHL time this year. He was a regular for SKA in the KHL playoffs, finishing with a goal and three points in 17 games.
“He”s like Sharangovich,” Fitzgerald said. “He can play anywhere in your lineup. You can put him on the power play, penalty kill — he’s very responsible. Like Sharangovich, we think at the next level his feet need to improve and we think they will. You can’t teach size and you can’t teach headiness, especially as a center.”
Still a long preseason to go.. But who knows.. Maybe they give him a few games or at least an extended look with practicing with the team more before going back to Bing.
Good first impression without having played an official NA pro game yet
I think his ceiling is current Travis Zajac, which is still a very good player.So what does everybody think of this guy? Floor/Ceiling? Definitely liked him in the 2 games he played thus far.
I guess I’m hoping for a Zubrus-like player. Play up and down the lineup at center or wing, big, good possession, chip in 30-40 points? His floor is a good AHL player.So what does everybody think of this guy? Floor/Ceiling? Definitely liked him in the 2 games he played thus far.
It's hard to have 2 better games as an NHL debut as a 'checking line player' - he was used in the final minutes of both games he's played in, he has 6 shots on goal, his line was positive territorially in both games he played. He's even won more than 50% of faceoffs.
I guess I’m hoping for a Zubrus-like player. Play up and down the lineup at center or wing, big, good possession, chip in 30-40 points? His floor is a good AHL player.
Seems like a humble kid, plus the name "Maltsev" just sounds like an NHL player to me
I think his ceiling is current Travis Zajac, which is still a very good player.