[Rumour] Canucks interested in Sam Malinski

[RakuRaku]

4 minutes ago, TNucks1 said:

because he could turn out alot better than stecher and considereing he's* a "free agrent", we can put him in the minors or call him up if he does well. why not?

I get the low risk, high reward thing but our history with college free agents stinks!! For every Stecher there's like 5 Griffen Molinos!!

[tas]

[every team] is interested in [every ncaa free agent].

[TNucks1]

6 minutes ago, RakuRaku said:

I get the low risk, high reward thing but our history with college free agents stinks!! For every Stecher there's like 5 Griffen Molinos!!

still worth a try, is all im saying

[YearoftheNuck]

15 hours ago, -Vintage Canuck- said:

 

Wow, the kid is slick! Very deceptive and such incredibly quick feet!

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

15 hours ago, higgyfan said:

2. Sam Malinski, RHD, Cornell-ECAC: Malinski has been a top defenseman in college this season. He has excellent playmaking ability. He makes a lot of difficult passes in the offensive zone and has the ability to run a pro power play with his vision and shot. His skating is solid too and he can create with his skill and feet. Malinski isn’t the biggest defender but he competes well enough that I think he has a shot to be a good pro. -The Atheletic

Interesting to see Pronman putting Malinski (#2) ahead of Livingstone (#3) on his rankings. Not saying Malinski shouldn’t be that high on the list, just usually Livingstone seems to get top billing (and for good reason, given his size and tools). Pronman seems a tad more concerned about Livingstone’s skating than some others (although most scouts agree his skating needs to get a bit better to truly thrive in the NHL).

 

Here are the other RHDs from Pronman’s list (for those readers caught behind the paywall):

 

3. Jake Livingstone, RHD, Minnesota State-CCHA: Livingston was a top free-agent target in 2022 but decided to go back to Mankato. He’s not a flashy player, and while he has a good point shot he doesn’t have a ton of offensive skill and his mobility is just OK. Livingston is a 6-foot-3, intelligent, two-way defenseman though. He has enough puck game to project to make NHL outlet passes and the occasional tough O-zone play. Even with his skating, his size and work rate should allow him to take third-pair minutes in the league.

 

11. Luke Krys, RHD, Brown-ECAC: Krys, the younger brother of former Chicago draft pick Chad Krys, has been a top player for Brown. He’s a 6-foot-2 defenseman who can skate and competes well, which immediately draws the interest of scouts. He’s a lot better a defender than his brother was, but he doesn’t have near the offensive abilities and whether he can move pucks versus pros will be his challenge even if he shows flashes of skill at the college level.

 

27. Ryan Siedem, RHD, Harvard-ECAC:Siedem has been a solid two-way defenseman for Harvard. He’s an intelligent player who can make a good first pass and has seen an uptick in his offense this year at the college level. Siedem’s skating has historically been his issue and it’s still not a strength, but given his frame and sense I can see someone taking a shot on him.

 

In addition to Pronman’s picks above, I’m also starting to see Zac Galambos appear on more lists and forum posts of top NCAA free agents. He’s a 6’2” RHD for Western Michigan. He’s definitely on the older side (will be 26 by the summer) and doesn’t have the best pedigree, but he’s been producing just as well as Livingstone this year.

 

St. Cloud State’s Spencer Meier is also appearing frequently on some lists. He’s a 23 year old, 6’4” RHD. Definitely more of a shutdown guy than an offensive producer, but he should get some interest. I’ve heard only good things about his work ethic, leadership, and character. Often described as a great player but an even better person.

 

Quinnipiac captain and perennial high scoring NCAA Dman Zach Metsa should also see some offers after graduation. He’s definitely undersized at 5’9” but has a full toolbox of offensive gifts, high level mobility, and still manages to defend quite well, despite his size.

 

Princeton’s Pito Walton seems to be flying a bit under the radar, but he’s a big (6’2”), skilled RHD who can skate, and effectively runs his team’s offence. I suspect he’s on some NHL teams’ lists internally, but I’ve yet to really see his name come up publicly in rankings or forum posts. Maybe his recent Hobey nomination will get him some more attention in the coming weeks.

 

Colorado College’s Bryan Yoon has made a few lists. 6’1” RHD, but a little “over the hill” at 25. He’s probably more of an AHL contract candidate IMO, but some people seem to really like him as an NHL ELC option, and he’s made it into some top-10 lists.

 

Outside of the NCAA, a couple 20 year old RHDs in the CHL are getting frequent rotation recently on some of the free agent target lists.

 

Charlottetown’s (QMJHL) Jeremie Biakabutuka seems likely to see some NHL offers. He’s a 6’4”, 203lb RHD. Athletic kid with good bloodlines (IIRC his uncle played in the NFL), good skating/mobility, especially for his size. Currently leading his team in goals (15) and 2nd in points (36 in 42 games). Has attended camps with San Jose and Detroit, earning praise: “High compete,” Lalonde said. “He can skate north south. Driven kid, he wants to be coached. Looks you in the eye. Little habits like that, you appreciate as a coach. He’s made a good impression. Really good kid. We’ve liked having him around.” Was offered an AHL deal by the Chicago Wolves for 2022-23 but he declined.

 

Prince Albert’s (WHL) Landon Kosior is another undrafted RHD in the CHL who’s getting attention. Probably should have been drafted back in 2020 when he was ranked 98th (NA skaters). Now, as a 20yo, he’s over a point per game. High hockey IQ, good skating, lateral mobility, puckmoving, two-way play. A little undersized at 5’11”, 190lb. Has attended last two LA Kings camps, so they probably have the inside track on him.

 

(As always, there are many players I’m forgetting. Just had a few names of RHD UDFA’s rattling around my head that I’d been meaning to post on, so figured I’d jot down a quick one here. )

[Westcoastcanucks777]

17 hours ago, RakuRaku said:

What is the point? might as well bring Stecher back????

Get them both same line

[Westcoastcanucks777]

If we get a new stech can we get a new giraffe ?

[Guest]

Haven't read all four pages here but Sam Malinski (like Jake Livingstone) will be looking at a 1 year ELC since he's 24.  

 

This means that depending on when they become available and sign, we could be looking at a 2 mil cap hit, so leaving some LTIR available for the season and having lots of contract spots does put us in a decent position.  

[DeNiro]

34 minutes ago, VancouverHabitant said:

Haven't read all four pages here but Sam Malinski (like Jake Livingstone) will be looking at a 1 year ELC since he's 24.  

 

This means that depending on when they become available and sign, we could be looking at a 2 mil cap hit, so leaving some LTIR available for the season and having lots of contract spots does put us in a decent position.  

Nice I didn’t consider that angle but yea NCAA players would definitely be looking to get some NHL experience.

 

Gives us some good wiggle room.

[N4ZZY]

29 minutes ago, DeNiro said:

Nice I didn’t consider that angle but yea NCAA players would definitely be looking to get some NHL experience.

 

Gives us some good wiggle room.

could you imagine if we landed both Malinski and Livingstone. 

 

[Gawdzukes]

On 2/23/2023 at 3:29 AM, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

Interesting to see Pronman putting Malinski (#2) ahead of Livingstone (#3) on his rankings. Not saying Malinski shouldn’t be that high on the list, just usually Livingstone seems to get top billing (and for good reason, given his size and tools). Pronman seems a tad more concerned about Livingstone’s skating than some others (although most scouts agree his skating needs to get a bit better to truly thrive in the NHL).

 

Here are the other RHDs from Pronman’s list (for those readers caught behind the paywall):

 

3. Jake Livingstone, RHD, Minnesota State-CCHA: Livingston was a top free-agent target in 2022 but decided to go back to Mankato. He’s not a flashy player, and while he has a good point shot he doesn’t have a ton of offensive skill and his mobility is just OK. Livingston is a 6-foot-3, intelligent, two-way defenseman though. He has enough puck game to project to make NHL outlet passes and the occasional tough O-zone play. Even with his skating, his size and work rate should allow him to take third-pair minutes in the league.

 

11. Luke Krys, RHD, Brown-ECAC: Krys, the younger brother of former Chicago draft pick Chad Krys, has been a top player for Brown. He’s a 6-foot-2 defenseman who can skate and competes well, which immediately draws the interest of scouts. He’s a lot better a defender than his brother was, but he doesn’t have near the offensive abilities and whether he can move pucks versus pros will be his challenge even if he shows flashes of skill at the college level.

 

27. Ryan Siedem, RHD, Harvard-ECAC:Siedem has been a solid two-way defenseman for Harvard. He’s an intelligent player who can make a good first pass and has seen an uptick in his offense this year at the college level. Siedem’s skating has historically been his issue and it’s still not a strength, but given his frame and sense I can see someone taking a shot on him.

 

In addition to Pronman’s picks above, I’m also starting to see Zac Galambos appear on more lists and forum posts of top NCAA free agents. He’s a 6’2” RHD for Western Michigan. He’s definitely on the older side (will be 26 by the summer) and doesn’t have the best pedigree, but he’s been producing just as well as Livingstone this year.

 

St. Cloud State’s Spencer Meier is also appearing frequently on some lists. He’s a 23 year old, 6’4” RHD. Definitely more of a shutdown guy than an offensive producer, but he should get some interest. I’ve heard only good things about his work ethic, leadership, and character. Often described as a great player but an even better person.

 

Quinnipiac captain and perennial high scoring NCAA Dman Zach Metsa should also see some offers after graduation. He’s definitely undersized at 5’9” but has a full toolbox of offensive gifts, high level mobility, and still manages to defend quite well, despite his size.

 

Princeton’s Pito Walton seems to be flying a bit under the radar, but he’s a big (6’2”), skilled RHD who can skate, and effectively runs his team’s offence. I suspect he’s on some NHL teams’ lists internally, but I’ve yet to really see his name come up publicly in rankings or forum posts. Maybe his recent Hobey nomination will get him some more attention in the coming weeks.

 

Colorado College’s Bryan Yoon has made a few lists. 6’1” RHD, but a little “over the hill” at 25. He’s probably more of an AHL contract candidate IMO, but some people seem to really like him as an NHL ELC option, and he’s made it into some top-10 lists.

 

Outside of the NCAA, a couple 20 year old RHDs in the CHL are getting frequent rotation recently on some of the free agent target lists.

 

Charlottetown’s (QMJHL) Jeremie Biakabutuka seems likely to see some NHL offers. He’s a 6’4”, 203lb RHD. Athletic kid with good bloodlines (IIRC his uncle played in the NFL), good skating/mobility, especially for his size. Currently leading his team in goals (15) and 2nd in points (36 in 42 games). Has attended camps with San Jose and Detroit, earning praise: “High compete,” Lalonde said. “He can skate north south. Driven kid, he wants to be coached. Looks you in the eye. Little habits like that, you appreciate as a coach. He’s made a good impression. Really good kid. We’ve liked having him around.” Was offered an AHL deal by the Chicago Wolves for 2022-23 but he declined.

 

Prince Albert’s (WHL) Landon Kosior is another undrafted RHD in the CHL who’s getting attention. Probably should have been drafted back in 2020 when he was ranked 98th (NA skaters). Now, as a 20yo, he’s over a point per game. High hockey IQ, good skating, lateral mobility, puckmoving, two-way play. A little undersized at 5’11”, 190lb. Has attended last two LA Kings camps, so they probably have the inside track on him.

 

(As always, there are many players I’m forgetting. Just had a few names of RHD UDFA’s rattling around my head that I’d been meaning to post on, so figured I’d jot down a quick one here. )

Liking Biakabutuka. 15 goals, DRIVEN, 6'4" 203 lbs. Already attended camps and offered a contract. Sign me up!

[stawns]

On 2/22/2023 at 9:36 AM, Jester13 said:

Free prospects are great, but I have a question for those who know more/better: are NCAA players as coveted as years past? I say this because it seems like more and more guys that are coveted are already pretty old, so I wonder if NCAA players are as impactful as they used to be?

I think most NCAA prospects who don't sign, or are undrafted don't usually amount to a whole lot, other than hype.  That said, doesn't mean it's not worth a shot

[Canucks Curse]

lets sign malinski, doubt Cornell goes deep in ncaa playoffs 

[Canucks Curse]

sign all 3 lol livigstone, malinski, and baba

[EternalCanuckFan]

I'm generally happy with any signings of NCAA, International or Junior FAs. Of course the most talked about ones are more exciting, but if scouts believe in certain guys, then it can be very enjoyable to see players develop into NHLers. Doing this effectively for teams that have poor prospect pools can provide a critical boost to the prospect pool. It's rare for these players to become very high end NHLers but a healthy chunk of them at least find ways to become functional role players.

 

Malinski sounds like an interesting option if Livingstone is too highly sought after. Even though he's smaller, if his skating is already at a very high level, then that might even out his ability to make an impact sooner rather than later.

 

Considering how many contract spots the Canucks have open right now and how many they will have this summer, I suspect we might see at least a handful of NCAA, international and junior signings. It's not going to immediately fix the problems the team has but each one is a free ticket to a potential contributor. It will also be a good test of this management team's development ability which has been a problem for a long time.

[Ted Lasso]

Malinski’s edgework and deception is intriguing. He dekes like he’s playing bball on skates, and makes very difficult passes.
 

Given PA’s comments on team identity being fast, and focusing on defense that can get the puck up to our forwards, I’m not surprised to hear we’re taking a big run at Malinski

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

On 3/4/2023 at 8:24 AM, Gawdzukes said:

Liking Biakabutuka. 15 goals, DRIVEN, 6'4" 203 lbs. Already attended camps and offered a contract. Sign me up!

Here’s a little more on Biakabutuka, including some good quotes from the player himself, from an article published last year during the Traverse City prospects tournament.

 

https://detroithockeynow.com/2022/09/17/jerimie-biakabutuka-undrafted-detroit-red-wings-invitee-nhl-prospect-tournament/

 

“I’m a big defenseman with good mobility an speed,” he said. “So obviously they want to see me play good defensively, see me finishing my check, be physical. Using my speed to join the rush. I have a good shot, too, so take shots on the net. I consider myself a two-way defenseman, so doing all that and not creating a turnover every shift. Just be hard to play against and join the rush when I have a chance to.”

“Everybody’s working hard, so you have to work hard,” Biakabutuka said. “You cannot be the guy who doesn’t skate. Everybody is trying to have a spot on the team, on the roster. Everybody’s trying to have a good impression. It’s not junior hockey anymore, it’s pro level. You have to work hard and every detail counts. That’s probably what I’ve learned most.”

He definitely has a plan.

“Obviously in the future you cannot control everything but if you have a good attitude and you work hard, and you play your game, someone is going to see you,” Biakabutuka said. “That’s what I’m trying to do here.”

[Goal:thecup]

On 2/22/2023 at 10:20 AM, Chickenspear said:

Would still be an upgrade on half our D.

Stetch didn't look that good in his last game; and no matter what, he is still too small.

[DefCon1]

On 2/22/2023 at 8:33 AM, -Vintage Canuck- said:

 

I trust this management will get him just like Kuzmenko. He will be offered a top 4 D position on a regular NHL roster and a team that has Hughes and Hronek and he will take it in a heartbeat. Canucks are a young up and coming team that is retooling quickly to become a playoff team. This is an attractive proposition for any college UFA.

[DefCon1]

Canucks can hopefully get Clifton in summer free agency to complete the top 4 if they also manage to get their NCAA player.

 

Hughes-Clifton

Malinski-Hronek

OEL-Myers/Bear