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

VITALS

Malenstyn, 25, is a 6’-2” left-handed winger who has spent the last five seasons with the Capitals and Hershey Bears. 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 one-year $750,000 extension with the Capitals on Jul. 8, 2021. The contract had a cap hit of $750,000. The Capitals then re-signed Malenstyn to a two-year, $1.525 million contract on June 20, 2022. He will be an restricted free agent with arbitration rights at the end of the 2023-24 season.

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.

The 2022-23 season was Malenstyn’s best professional season to date. He was called up to the Capitals early in the season and found a production spot at left wing on the Capitals fourth line. The line was producing very positive metrics when Malenstyn suffered a broken finger. Aliaksei Protas filled in and also did an excellent job, lessening the rush to return Malenstyn to the Capitals. Malenstyn was once again a tremendous leader for the Bears this season, setting the tone early in games with a decisive hit, and also resumed his excellent play on the penalty kill.

2022-2023 MONTH-BY-MONTH RECAP AND TREND ANALYSIS

The following is a compilation of our month-by-month prospect reports for Beck Malenstyn during the 2022-2023 season. Also included are his monthly scores (0-5, with 2.5 being average). You can find all of our monthly prospect reports on our “Prospects” page in the top menu.

OCTOBER

The Delta, British Columbia native was in the lineup for Hershey’s first two games. The winger was held scoreless in those two contests with one shot on goal. He was solid on the penalty kill in those games.

Beck Malenstyn finally breaks the goalie duel and puts the Caps up 1-0! pic.twitter.com/R7oMGE1tbE

— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) October 30, 2022

Malenstyn was then called up to Washington following an injury to Connor Brown. He has been more effective in the NHL. In three games, Malenstyn has recorded two points. The winger potted the game-winning goal for the Capitals in Nashville on October 29, when he put home a feed from Nic Dowd in the second period.

Monthly Score: 4.0

NOVEMBER

The Capitals recalled Malenstyn on October 19. The move came after right-wing Connor Brown sustained a lower-body injury in the team’s 6-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks the previous night.

Malenstyn was working well on the Capitals fourth line (in the Hagelin spot), but unfortunately, he was injured blocking a shot in the first period against the Vegas Knights on November 1.

Hell of a block by Malenstyn but man, that can’t feel good pic.twitter.com/JuGWfyfjzS

— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) November 1, 2022

The Capitals announced on November 4 that Malenstyn had surgery to repair a fractured finger and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks. That puts him at a potential return somewhere between December 15 and January 1.

Monthly Score: Incomplete

DECEMBER

Malenstyn had a relative quiet month of December, as he spent most of it rehabbing his injury. Malenstyn was returned to the Bears at the end of December following his rehab from finger surgery. He played the last two games of the month for the Bears and immediately made an impact with his physicality.

Monthly Score: 2.5

JANUARY

After returning from injury late in December, Malenstyn started to find his game in January. He netted his first goal of the season on January 8 when he netted the opening tally in the first period against Syracuse.

Beck Malenstyn with his first of the season. Bears lead 1-0. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Eg1fTRXcS8

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) January 8, 2023

Malenstyn scored his second goal of the season two games later when he lifted a shot over the glove of Springfield’s Joel Hofer for Hershey’s second goal of the game.

“Wreck It” Beck Malenstyn with a shorthanded goal and we are tied! #ALLCAPS #HBH pic.twitter.com/u6ycnPQwRF

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) January 22, 2023

Malenstyn’s third and final goal of January was a big one. In the third period in Belleville on January 21, he skated into the right circle and wristed a shot off the blocker of Kevin Mandolese for a shorthanded goal that tied the game at two.

Malenstyn continues to be an elite shot blocker. He consistently makes strong plays on the penalty kill and is often one of the first two forwards over the boards when the unit is sent on the ice.

Monthly Score: 3.0

FEBRUARY

Entering the month with three points for the season, Malenstyn equaled that total in February. He netted Hershey’s fourth goal in Bridgeport in the third period on February 3. Malenstyn deflected Aaron Ness’ point shot for the tally.

Beck Malenstyn with his 4th of the season. Bears lead 4-1. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/6ePm4StnWl

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 4, 2023

The winger registered his second point of the month with a secondary assist on Bobby Nardella’s tying goal at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on February 15.

Malenstyn scored his second goal of the month in the first period on February 26 versus Belleville. He again redirected a point shot, this time from Vincent Iorio.

Beck Malenstyn with the redirect for his 5th goal of the season. Bears lead 1-0 early in the 1st. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/ju6zZc1ydY

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 26, 2023

Malenstyn has been a key part of Hershey’s effective fourth line and continues to bring energy and physicality to the game. Another thing Malenstyn continues to do is block shots. Time and time again, he throws his body in front of a shot to keep it away from the goal. This is really apparent on the penalty kill where Malenstyn usually blocks multiple shots on each kill. Malenstyn is one of the top penalty killers on the team and is often one of the first two forwards over the boards when the Bears are shorthanded.

Monthly Score: 3.5

MARCH

Malenstyn posted his second-straight three-point month to run his season total to nine. He redirected a Lucas Johansen shot in for Hershey’s opening goal in Providence on March 11.

Redirect by Beck Malenstyn, Bears lead 1-0 midway through the first. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/cnhnUMOzJb

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) March 12, 2023

Offense, however, is not where the winger makes his biggest contribution to the Bears. That comes on the penalty kill. The unit showed vast improvement in March and Malesntyn was a major part of the uptick.

The native of Delta, British Columbia is consistently one of the first forwards, usually with Riley Sutter, over the boards when Hershey is shorthanded. He is usually in the right position and is never afraid to put his body in front of a shot to keep it out of the net. Malenstyn is one of the team’s top penalty killers. He also brings a physical presence to the lineup and is a key component of a very effective and energy providing fourth line.

Monthly Score: 3.5

POSTSEASON

Malenstyn continued his tone-setting play in the postseason. The Bears fourth line was easily their best defensive line, as it should be, in the postseason. They did well shutting down Coachella Valley scorers on home ice when Bears head coach Todd Nelson was able to determine the lines.

Malenstyn’s work on the penalty kill was also top notch and a very important ingredient in the Bears run to a 12th Calder Cup. Malenstyn’s lead by example also continue in the postseason.

Monthly Score: 3.5

MONTHLY SCORE SUMMARY

PLAYER FORECAST

Malenstyn had settled in at left wing on the fourth line with the Capitals when he suffered the broken finger. All stats for the line showed the trio was working really well together, so it’s a shame Malenstyn suffered the setback.

Fortunately, Malenstyn is at the top of the list of players to assume the same position on opening night this fall, and is a favorite in all categories. Aliaksei Protas also did very well at the position last season, but Protas can play on other lines. The best move is to set Malenstyn at left wing on the fourth line and move Protas to another position. To me, the left wing position on the fourth line is Malenstyn’s to lose and I don’t see that happening.

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

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