The Sudbury Wolves had to wait a little while, but still got the player they wanted, selecting Zack Malik in the 2017 CHL Import Draft.
The 6-foot-2 defenceman from Brno, Czech Republic, amassed seven goals and 10 assists in 38 games last season for Vitkovice Ostrave, most of it spent in the U20 league.
The best part for the Wolves is that he’s born in 2000 and draft eligible in 2018.
“He’s a guy who’s going to be able to grow with a good young group of players here, he’s got a real bright future,” said Wolves GM Rob Papineau today. “He comes in and has a big year, he’s already a guy who’s been targeted by a lot of different scouting services as a potential high pick in next year’s draft. He’s got good bloodlines and a guy that we’re happy with.”
Malik is the son of former NHLer Marek Malik, whose career spanned 691 games before skating off into the sunset by playing his final seasons for Vitkovice HC.
There always is a risk dipping into the import pool that a player may not come, but Papineau is more than confident he will.
“All indications, all conversations have pointed in that direction, so it’s something that we’re feeling really good about,” said Papineau.
When it comes to what kind of player Malik is, the GM said fans will be like what they see when the Czech is patrolling the blue line next season.
“We’re getting a two-way defensemen, this is a very smart hockey player,” said Papineau. “He does those things that you like: he’s got good size, makes a good first pass. He’s mobile and it’s probably an underestimated skill, but he’s got a really active stick.
“That’s something really important for a defenceman, especially in today’s game.”
He had been on their radar since the scouting team took a trip to the Sault.
“This is a guy we’ve targeted since watching him in Sault Ste. Marie in the World U17’s last fall. It’s a guy we followed through the season and we’re really excited to add him,” said Papineau.
The Wolves need to upgrade their back end badly after losing over-agers Aiden Jamieson and Patrick Sanvido last seen, as well as Pack favourite and captain Kyle Capobianco, who will be in the AHL next season.
So the Wolves had to do something and it began with acquiring Kyle Rhodes from the Guelph Storm on Tuesday for a conditional fourth round pick in 2019.
“I think it was pretty well known that it was something that we had to address with the guys we lost to graduation from last year,” Papineau said. “We’re real happy with it, we get a good young defenceman in Zack and we get an experienced guy, who’s just a really solid shutdown defenceman in (Rhodes).”
The Wolves decided to pass on their second round pick in the import draft, meaning the organization is confident rumours swirling that 48-goal scorer Dmitry Sokolov wouldn’t be back aren’t true, and he will return to the blue and white.
“All signs are pointing in that direction, we don’t have any reason at this time to think differently. Dmitry is such a huge part of our hockey team, not just what he does on the ice, but what he is in the dressing room,” said Papineau.
Zack Malik is expected to join his teammates when training camp opens Sept. 1.
