kid reminds me of Malakhov, the good and bad. That would be an ok scenario
High praise indeed. In this writer's opinion, Malakhov, along with Richer, were two of the most physically talented players who ever skated for this storied franchise. While Malakhov quickly came to mind when I first saw Mailloux skate (his comparative size and similar loping skating style) I would suggest that there are material qualitative differences between these two players. While it is always a tricky business to try to compare players from two distinct eras, (particularly when one player is still a mere future project) here is my very short assessment:
OVERALL: While Mailloux is an intriguing prospect who possesses size, skating ability and a high-end skillset, he is no Malakhov level player, or at least not yet. Malakhov was a physical freak, who had great size (6'4", 230 lbs), was easily one of the best skaters in the NHL and possessed one of the best wrist shots in the league. Malakhov's skill gave him the rare ability of being able to take over a game which ability was never better displayed when he played an important role in the Islanders' surprising elimination of the defending Stanley Cup Champions, Pittsburgh Penguins (with Lemieux & company) in the 1993 playoffs. It was an upset that opened the door to Montreal's last Cup win. Montreal did face the Islanders on the path to their last Cup win and Malakhov put on a show in that Islanders' loss. His talent was manifest to anyone who watched that series. No Montreal player could touch Malakhov's level of play when Malakhov decided to apply himself. It was therefore no great surprise when Montreal made the trade to acquire Malakhov the following year (April 1995). In one of the biggest trades since Pollock obtained Frank Mahovlich in 1971, Montreal obtained Malakhov and Turgeon for Muller and Schneider. It was a great trade and had Malakhov been able to focus and direct his sizeable talents, Montreal may have well won a few more cups in those years. But, alas, such was not the case and Montreal eventually traded the troubled Malakhov to the Devils for a then largely unknown defenceman: Sheldon Souray. Bottom line, even if he achieves his fully projected development level, Mailloux will never have the skills that Malakhov possessed. Mailloux may well be a better player, but it will be through the use of a skill set that will be significantly lower that Malakhov's.
Skating; There is no comparison, Malakhov was a superior skater than what Mailloux projects to be. Malakhov had faster accelleration, better lateral skating ability and a better top end speed. Mailloux is good, but Malakhov was largely in a class of his own.
Defensive Play: Again, there is no comparison as Malakhov's skating, reach, size and anticipation allowed him to shut down top NHL forwards. Mailloux remains a work in progress in the defensive zone.
Shooting: This is an area where the two players are quite similar. Both have elite shooting ability and pose a threat to any opposing team. Malakhov had the ability to get his shot off quickly and get his shot through blocking defenders and hit the net. This is a skill that Mailloux must still develop.
Offensive Vision: While Malakhov had an efficient first pass, Mailloux's passing ability is already off the chart. Mailloux's first pass will be a real weapon for the team and will rival Subban's first pass, who, in my opinion, together with Harvey and Chelios, possessed Montreal's best first pass capability.
BOTTOM LINE: I still remain confident that when he fully develops Mailloux will be a strong player for Montreal. But expecting him to be another Malakhov is a bit of a stretch. As the saying goes, he'll do it his way.
