Canucks Sign Manny Malhotra

In the offensive end of the ice, Malhotra has proved to be more than capable to the numerous roles he has been placed in. Whether it be seeing time on a scoring/shutdown second line with Marleau and Pavelski or a makeshift grind line with Nichol and Ortmeyer, Malhotra has flourished with every opportunity he has been given. He can play the wing one shift, take a defensive zone draw the next, and then see time on the power play. The definition of an all-around versatile forward.

He has an above average set of hands in the passing game, good vision, and can work the cycle down low with his teammates. He seals the boards well on opposing teams attempted clears, and generates consistent speed through the neutral zone to beat defenseman to loose pucks and disrupt the breakout. A good but not phenomenal skater, Malhotra has a knack for picking his spots and reading the play to cut off angles.

Malhotra’s slap shot is also one of the best on the team— low and hard, he produces rebounds that generate second-chance opportunities at a solid clip.

Furthermore, Malhotra brings a great defensive presence to the squad. While Marleau is probably the best rounded forward on the team in terms of offensive and defensive ability, Malhotra is likely the best defensive forward on the team, if not the title holder in that category. He’ll kill penalties, commit to the backcheck every shift, and win draws in the defensive zone at an alarming rate. Along with Scott Nichol, head coach Todd McLellan taps Malhotra whenever the team needs to secure possession in front of Nabokov.

The only thing Malhotra can’t do is put the team on his shoulders and carry them in games— that role lies with some of the higher paid players on San Jose’s roster, as it should.

Malhotra’s versatility is something Todd McLellan has in his back pocket every time he hits the ice. And we couldn’t be more excited to see it happen.

http://www.fearthefin.com/2010/4/7/1409057/2010-sharks-playoff-preview

Price is a bit steep but I think he will provide the defensive presence needed from a 3rd line center. Also gives us flexibility if Hodgson forces his way onto the team.

Gillis isn’t done, but for centers he is. I look
for a couple of wings and a defenseman to come.

We’ll win a lot of face-offs this year. That’s something, I guess.

Overpaid but worth it for the playoff grit. The Blackhawks and Flyers have overpaid recently as well to win…

as a former Rangers fan, when MM was drafted, the dish on him was that he was a leader in the Messier mold, a possible future captain, was a smart player with loads of character. I was disappointed, at the end of the season, to see how little he had scored.

great:
6’2" 200lbs
62.5% on faceoffs, including playoffs – this is a big deal
major major upgrade from wellwood and johnson as a grit center

not so great:
2.5M. that’s a million too much, and when they could have signed him for san jose’s deal last year and he would have helped the team all last year.

this is like the ballard deal in that you get a good player, that helps your team but you overpay. but really, if the only knock on a player is that you pay him more than you should then just win and it will be all right.

Like the signing, but it’s a bit high. I hope he really can move to the wing.

Hey Gillis, where’s the deef?

Manny is a great pick-up, and we’ll miss him in San Jose (I have a MM jersey, actually). $2.5 million is very much on the high side, but he brings a great attitude, incredible prowess in the faceoff circle, and consistent effort.

They’re seriously bummed about losing Malhotra to us – they thought they’d be able to resign him at about 2M per, so going by that 2.5M is about right.

I don’t know much about him, but I’m really liking the defensive presence he’s bringing. (May be slightly affected by us being debacled on the PK in the playoffs)

…aaaand ninja’d by OtherKid.

Guess he has more of that Ballard-type courage under pressure of playing in a fishbowl than we thought. LOVE THAT DEFENSE!

6 years 4.5 per
we just bought ourselves a 5 year window to get it right i like this solid core in place.
did i mention hes a bc boy? gotta love that.

…but one of the big reasons for that was his versatility, which Malhotra has in spades. Nice touch that he’s local boy, too.

Okay, I like this signing, even if I don’t care for no trade clauses.

I think you guys will be pleased with Manny. He plays with so much grit and heart, among the grittiest in our 09-10 team. This is the guy who took a slapshot to the face, puck broke the shit out of his nose, and he still played the next game, on the very next day. No matter how shitty a game got, Manny was one of the few who never stopped trying (never choked!).

Honestly, the price is too steep (you guys got a wee bit jacked on the salary) – but he’s not going to play like crap, that’s for sure.

in what universe is a 30 point 3rd liner worth $2.5M??? He is fucking this team up with his constant overpayment for mediocrity and if our youth takes over and he ends up on the 4th line, that contract will be an impossible to move anchor.

I mean he gets out from under Bernier’s contrat and immediately jumps into an even worse deal, brilliant.

And now he’s insisting they are keeping Bieksa? Salo has a NTC, so is he seriously saying they are keeping all those $3.5M+ dmen or is he going to trade our best dman last year??? They still haven’t signed Raymond and now he’s in a hurry to slot in a 3rd line centre for big $ again making it very difficult for Hodgson to get a fair chance to make the team.

overpaid and a NTC???

Since when do 3rd liners rate a NTC???

Unreal.

the skepticism will subside once you see him play
you’ll be thinking you actually underpaid
and you’ll be wondering how you got him so quickly in free agency
(he’s local, the $ was good, and he got the NMC)
great signing