We took a look at all 35 players in the system that are aged 25 or younger (as of October 1, 2023) and ranked them. It’s the Top 25 Under 25. Let’s kick things off with the first player to make the cut – goaltender Nick Malik.
Bio
Age: 21
Position: Goaltender
Draft: 2022 Round 5 (#160 overall)
2023-24 Team: KooKoo (Liiga – Finland)
2022 Ranking: Not Ranked
Stats
Scouting Report
The first thing that stands out when you start digging into the background of Nick Malik, is that he was somehow passed over in the NHL draft not once, but twice, before the Tampa Bay Lightning took him in the 2022 draft. It’s possible that his lack of playing time in Europe during the COVID adjusted 2020-21 season (he only appeared in four games for HC Frydek-Mistek) hurt his chances his second time through the process, but a stellar season with KooKoo in 2021-22 was enough to convince the Lightning to take a flyer on him with a fifth round pick.
The 1.97 GAA he posted that season in 34 games ranked 4th in the league while his .922 SV% was 3rd. Not too shabby for a 19 year-old. KooKoo wasn’t protecting him either. The 2014 minutes he played was good for 11th in the league as were his 34 appearances. His production dropped off a bit in the next season as posted a 2.74/.891 stat line in 24 games and he found himself splitting time with Oskari Setanin. He did finish strong with a 1.92/.938 line in three playoff games.
Longtime Lightning fans might recognize his last name as his father, Marek, played 42 games for the Bolts in the 2008-09 season. The 6’6″ veteran defender with 691 NHL games under his belt didn’t record a goal in a Tampa Bay uniform, but may be remembered most for one of the more memorable shootout goals in league history when he ended a 14-round affair between the Rangers and Capitals with a between-the-legs masterpiece.
Nick was born in North Carolina during his dad’s days with the Hurricanes but began his hockey career in Czechia before spending a season in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds in 2019-20. He has also represented Czechia at the international level in both the Hilinka Gretzky Cup and the World Junior Championships, before moving to the the Liiga.
At 6’2″ and 172 lbs., Nick Malik still has to look up to his dad at family gatherings but has good size for a goaltender and shows an ability to stay tall in the net even when dropping down into the butterfly. The first things that most observers mention are his athleticism and calm demeanor. While it is good to have an athletic goalie in net, and it can lead to some spectacular saves, especially on second chances, it can also be a bit of a detriment for younger netminders. Instead of properly playing their angles or making sure their fundamentals are solid, they often rely on their athleticism to make the stops. That can only work for so long and in order to sustain long-term success at high levels, they have to merge the physical attributes with the basics.
At just 21, Malik has time to find that balance, and another year in the Liiga, playing against older professionals will help him do that. There is a chance that the sophomore slump hit him a bit last season, but it was good to see him finish strong in the playoffs and that gives him something to build on as he looks to reclaim his spot at the top netminder for KooKoo this year.
He is under contract with the team for another season, so it is unlikely we’ll see him back in North America until at least the 2024-25 season. Based on what he’s been able to do as a young player in Europe, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that his journey does lead to a regular spot in the NHL at a relatively young age. Even if he doesn’t hit the AHL until his age 22 season, he could be NHL bound quickly based on his experience in Finland and as an international player for Czechia.
It is possible, unless the Lighting pull off a trade for William Nylander, Malik could complete the first father-son duo to play for Lightning sometime in the next few seasons.
