Hershey Bears Newcomer Profile: Beck Malenstyn

Beck Malenstyn, seen here at the 2016 Caps Development Camp, will be joining Hershey this season. Photo via NHL.com.

With the passing of the July 1 start of free agency, news will be at a slower pace for Bears fans. With the season so far away, it seems only right to get to know some of the new players who will be dressing at the AHL level for the first time with the Chocolate and White in 2018-19. The first newcomer in the series will focus on 20 year-old Beck Malenstyn, the 6’2, 194 pound left winger who just turned AHL eligible after his final year in the WHL.

Malenstyn joins the Bears after participating in his third Washington Capitals Development Camp this summer since being drafted by the club in the fifth round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft (145th overall). He’s played parts of five seasons with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, starting with a brief stint at the end of the 2014-15 season and was traded to the Swift Current Broncos for 38 games in his final season this past year.

Malenstyn’s production has steadily gone up in the WHL. He had his highest production totals in 2016-17, scoring 56 points (32 goals, 24 assists) and although that number declined a bit in 2017-18 when he only racked up 29 points (17 goals, 12 assists) the number that both Washington and Hershey fans would be happy to see is his improvement in plus/minus, going from minus 13 in 2016-17 to plus 10 this past season. Add in 26 games of postseason experience with the Broncos (who won the Ed Chynoweth championship trophy in the WHL), potting 11 playoff points (4 goals, 7 assists), and you have valuable experience for a player about to turn pro in 2018-19.

Bears fans might remember that Malenstyn was a black ace with the Bears during Hershey’s playoff run in 2016-17. Although he did not play for the team like fellow prospect Garrett Pilon, he gained valuable experience in getting a general feel for the organization and having a sense of familiarity when he becomes a full-time Bear this coming fall.

Listed at 6’2, 194 pounds, Malenstyn brings size to the table at wing, an area that’s plagued Hershey wingers for the last couple of seasons. He could ultimately become a top six forward with the Bears, as he knows how to find another level of production and become a reliable, two-way forward. Translating his game to the AHL level may take some time as opposed to high ticket forwards Brian Pinho and Shane Gersich, but Malenstyn will endear himself to Bears fans in the same way forwards like Nathan Walker and Liam O’Brien did – through hard work and dedication. Malenstyn isn’t afraid to drop the mitts either, a quality Bears fans certainly appreciate.

Most of Malenstyn’s fights uploaded to YouTube are usually precipitated by a big hit thrown by the left winger, and he isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas to score goals. He’s the kind of player a coach would love as he sticks up for teammates and really can do it all at both ends of the ice.

While Malenstyn might not have the incredible scoring prowess of other prospect forwards, he stands out for having size and overall balance. Translating his game to the AHL level might prove to be a challenge, but Malenstyn has proved to have an ability to take the next step in his game and prove people wrong, something that led to a Memorial Cup appearance with Swift Current. This balance in his game will endear him to Bears fans should all go well come October.

More Player Profiles: