Beck Malenstyn: 2022 Annual Review And Forecast

Posted on June 2, 2022 by Jon Sorensen


Next up in our annual prospect review and forecast series is Beck Malenstyn, forward for the Hershey Bears. (You can access all of our Capitals Prospect Reports and player analysis on our “Prospects” page right here.)

VITALS

Malenstyn, 24, is a 6’-2” left-handed winger who has spent the last three seasons with the Hershey Bears in the AHL. The White Rock, British Columbia native was a 5th round draft pick (#145 overall) by the Capitals in the 2016 NHL entry draft. Malenstyn signed a three-year entry-level contract on April 10, 2017, for $736,666 AAV.He signed a 1 year, $750,000 contract with the Capitals on Jul. 8, 2021. The contract had a cap hit of $750,000. Malenstyn is a restricted free agent this offseason.

CAREER SUMMARY

Malenstyn spent parts of five seasons in the WHL, mostly with the Calgary Hitman, before being traded to the Swift Current Broncos during his last year in the league. Malenstyn’s top scoring season occurred during the 2016-2017 season with the Calgary Hitmen, where he recorded 32 goals and 24 assists in 70 games played.

Malenstyn was traded from Calgary to Swift Current just four games into the 2017-2018 season. The move would ultimately pay huge dividends, as Malenstyn and the Broncos would win the WHL championship and hoist the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Malenstyn finished the season with 17 goals and 15 assists in 42 games played in the regular season. Malenstyn added another four goals and 11 assits in postseason play.

Malenstyn showed excellent developmental progress during his first year in the AHL. It could be argued that he made the biggest advance of all Capitals prospects during the 2018-2019 season. He quickly found his place, providing a physical grit for the Bears, and often set the tone early in games with a heavy hit or two. Malenstyn also showed potential for being a team leader. He finished the season with seven goals and nine assists in 74 games played and became a steadying force on the Bears penalty kill.

Malenstyn was on pace for significant improvement in his points production prior to the suspension of the 2019-2020 Season. He recorded seven goals and eight assists in just 46 games played. His shooting percentage also improved from 7.6% in his rookie campaign to 10.9% for his sophomore year, but his shots-per-game rate essentially remained the same. Malenstyn continued to be a key component of the Bears penalty kill, as well as a reliable shot-blocker for the Bears. He would miss three games for a suspension and 10 games due to injury during the 2019-2020 season. Malenstyn was also called up to the Capitals for three games in November.

The Capitals announced December 5 that Malenstyn would miss six-to-eight months after undergoing surgery to repair an Achilles tendon. He sustained the injury while training in Vancouver. As a result, Malenstyn missed the entire 2020-21 Covid-shortened season.

Malenstyn had a decent, but not overwhelming 2021-22 season campaign, but in all reality, it was probably to be expected, as he returned from a fairly serious injury. Malenstyn did get a callup to the Capitals for the third consecutive season, and recorded his first career NHL goal on November 30 against the Panthers in Florida.

2021-2022 MONTH-BY-MONTH RECAP AND TREND ANALYSIS

The following is a compilation of our month-by-month prospect reports for Beck Malenstyn during the 2021-2022 season. You can find all of our monthly prospect reports on our “Prospects” page in the top menu.

OCTOBER
Washington sent Malenstyn to Hershey to get him game time after the winger missed the entirety of last season with an Achilles injury. The Delta, British Columbia native is still working his way back into form. He has not found his game in most aspects yet. Malenstyn has not recorded a point in seven games played and is an uncharacteristic minus four. However, some of his strengths have begun to re-emerge. He continues to play a physical game and is not afraid to deliver a check. Malenstyn is still willing to throw his body in front of a shot and his play on the penalty kill is solid. Similar to Kempny, Malenstyn’s game will improve the more he plays.

TRENDING: SAME

NOVEMBER
Malenstyn was pointless in the first month of the season, but got on the scoresheet in November. He registered his first point of the campaign with a secondary helper on Cody Franson’s tying goal in the third period at Springfield on November 5. The native of Delta, British Columbia then tallied his first goal since February 16, 2020 in a matchup with Syracuse on November 13. Malenstyn wristed a low shot from the outside edge of the right circle into the net to give the Bears a 1-0 edge 43 seconds into the game.

Malenstyn picked up another secondary assist at Hartford on November 20. He seemed to find his game a little more in November and was recalled to the Capitals on November 24. He played in three games with Washington and did fairly well. He scored his first NHL marker on November 30 against Florida. He was called for a late penalty in the game that led to the Panthers game winning goal, that dampened the occasion.

Malenstyn has already been trusted on the penalty kill in a tight game, something that will be his role should he become a regular member of the Capitals lineup. He is also laying the hits, and blocking shots, all Malenstyn Hallmarks.

Malenstyn and Garrett Pilon were guests on the “Break the Ice” podcast with Mike Vogel in November.

TRENDING: UP

DECEMBER
Malenstyn spent most of December in the NHL with the Washington Capitals. He skated in eight games for the parent club without recording a point. The Delta, British Columbia native returned to the Bears just in time for the game at Lehigh Valley on December 21.

He was held off the scoresheet in that game, but did strike against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on December 27. In the third period, Malenstyn skated in and wristed a rebound from a Macoy Erkamps shot into the net for his second goal of the season.

The winger continues to be unafraid to throw his body in front of a shot, even late in games when the game is in hand. He blocked two shots with under a minute left in the game with the Bears up 4-1 on December 27. The blocked shots exemplify Malenstyn’s commitment to doing all the little things. For the season, Malenstyn has two goals and two assists in 18 games played. He’s shot the puck 31 times for a 6.4% shooting percentage.

TRENDING: SAME

JANUARY
Malenstyn continues to struggle to find his offensive game. The winger did not record a point in 10 games played in January and had just four points in 28 games this season. What is more surprising is that Malenstyn is a team worst minus nine.

He has always been a responsible two-way player and his struggles at even strength are unexpected. Malenstyn is still a quality penalty killer and brings a physical presence to the team. However, the Bears need Malenstyn to improve his game at five-on-five and the team needs more offense out of him.

For the season, Malenstyn had a goal in 12 games with the Capitals and two goals and two assists and a -9 in 28 games played with the Bears.

TRENDING – DOWN

FEBRUARY
Coming into the month with four points on the season, Malenstyn found a bit of his offensive stride in February. He tallied his first goal since December 27 against Hartford on February 2.

The goal ended an 11-game goalless and scoring drought. The native of Delta, British Columbia then had the primary helper on Kody Clark’s game-winning goal in Cleveland on February 4. Malenstyn followed that up by netting the game-winner in Cleveland the following day.

Malenstyn picked up his second game-winning goal of the month in Bridgeport on February 19. He added an assist in the game as well.

Malenstyn finished the month with five points. He also blocked a lot of shots on the penalty kill and delivered some big hits.

TRENDING: UP

MARCH
After a slow start to the season, Malenstyn has picked up his play. The winger tallied a team high five goals in March. He recorded the first three-point game of his professional career in a 4-0 win over Lehigh Valley on March 8.

Malenstyn opened the scoring when he redirected Dylan McIlrath’s shot into the net in the second period. This would be the game-winning goal. He also had the lone assist on Brett Leason’s third period marker and closed out the scoring with an empty net goal. Malenstyn also potted the game winner in Hershey’s next game in Bridgeport on March 11.

Malenstyn registered another two-goal game against Lehigh Valley on March 23. The winger ripped a shot through a screen from the center point for the Bears’ fourth goal in the third period of a 5-1 victory.

Malenstyn also scored the fifth goal on a great individual effort. He tipped the puck away from Wade Allison off of the initial face off during a Lehigh Valley power play. He then pushed the puck ahead into the offensive zone and then outmuscled Allison. Malenstyn backhanded the puck through the legs of Felix Sandstrom for a shorthanded goal.

The winger was also a plus five in March and his overall game has been better the past two months. He is blocking a lot of shots and his delivering hits when called upon, as per usual for Malenstyn.

TRENDING: UP

APRIL
Coming off his best offensive month in March, Malenstyn was unable to match that production in April. Like most of the Hershey team, the winger’s offense dried up. He recorded one point in the month, an assist on Kody Clark’s overtime winner in Bridgeport on April 5, and failed to score a point in the last 10 games of the campaign.

Malenstyn’s even-strength play also dropped off. He was a minus-six for the month after being a plus-five in March. Malenstyn remains a high-end penalty killer and an excellent shot blocker and still delivers the big check. However, the Bears are a better team when Malenstyn is playing well in all areas of his game like he was in March.

TRENDING: DOWN

PLAYER FORECAST

Obviously the torn Achilles was a sizeable setback for Malenstyn, but to his credit, he battled back from the injury and began to find his game again. He had a decent 2021-22 season, considering he missed the entire 2020-21 season.

Malenstyn will once again have a shot at cracking the Capitals opening night lineup in October, but will be competing with several other Capitals prospects. His grit and physicality is probably his best differentiating trait when he is measured against other prospects, but he is also responsible, defensively, and has been a key component on the Bears penalty kill.

It will all depend on how he shows in training camp and practice leading up to opening night.

By Jon Sorensen

RELATED ARTICLES
Sweet Kill: An Interview With Beck Malenstyn, A Key Part Of The Hershey Bears Stellar Penalty Kill
Bears Beat Phantoms 5-3; Liam O’Brien, Christian Djoos, Bobby Nardella, Beck Malenstyn and Brian Pinho Score
Brian Pinho, Garrett Pilon And Beck Malenstyn Continue To Heat Up: Week 18 Prospect Report
Beck Malenstyn Suspended 3 Games For Elbowing Incident In Friday Nights Game Against Lehigh Valley
Capitals Recall Beck Malenstyn, Mike Sgarbossa, Tyler Lewington and Ilya Samsonov From Hershey
Bears Beat The Phantoms 4-3; Tie Franchise Record for Consecutive Games With Points; Beck Malenstyn Scores Twice
Beck Malenstyn: Opening Eyes in Hershey
Hershey Bears Beat Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-3 (SO); Ilya Samsonov Records First Win; Beck Malenstyn Scores First AHL Goal
Capitals Sign Beck Malenstyn
Beck Malenstyn, Washington’s 5th Round Pick from 2016, Joins Bears

About Jon Sorensen

Jon has been a Caps fan since day one, attending his first game at the Capital Centre in 1974. His interest in the Caps has grown over the decades and included time as a season ticket holder. He has been a journalist covering the team for 10+ years, primarily focusing on analysis, analytics and prospect development.
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6 Responses to Beck Malenstyn: 2022 Annual Review And Forecast

  1. Anonymous says:
    June 2, 2022 at 12:22 pm

    Beck really deserves a good shot at making the Caps. He already is a great fit for the 4th line with his physical play, 200 ft game, penalty killing ability, intensity, and hockey smarts. Some don’t realize this, but he has well above average speed and can generate a little offense. He does seem to be the ideal package for an energy guy on the 4th line.

    Reply
  2. Anonymous says:
    June 2, 2022 at 6:52 pm

    No much room on the 3rd and 4th lines… JOe S and Axel will be fighting for the spots… Protas too…
    I think the Caps pipeline is ok.. not great but ok. Better than the Pens and Leafs.

    Reply
  3. Anonymous says:
    June 6, 2022 at 10:19 am

    Malenstyn was one of the Bears best, if not the best 200 foot players on the team. His penalty killing, defense, and physical play was outstanding. Reminded me of a guy I watched that would one day be a prime Capitals player. That young guy was named Tom Wilson.
    This guy goes to the dirty areas with a mean disposition and gets irritated when he arrives. Picks up the greasy goals and is PDQ. Can fill many roles.

    Reply

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