Florida Panthers Top 25 Under 25: #4 Denis Malgin

Our Florida Panthers T25U25 countdown rolls on with the Cats fourth choice at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

#4: Denis Malgin

Position: Right wing

Age: 21

Team: Florida Panthers

Drafted in 2015, 4th Round (102nd Overall)

The Panthers selected diminutive forward Denis Malgin in the fourth round of the 2015 Entry Draft after the youngster scored 5 goals and 12 assists in 38 games for the ZSC Lions, where was a teammate of Auston Matthews, of the Swiss National League A.

After a strong training camp, and injuries to other players, Malgin surprisingly found himself on the Cats roster to begin the 2016-17 season. He got off to a good start, collecting his first point in his second career game against the Detroit Red Wings, but a 21-game pointless stretch earned him a mid-January demotion to the AHL. Malgin didn’t pout and put up 12 points in 15 games with Springfield and was recalled on February 28. He ended up playing 47 games with Florida and finished with six goals and ten points as a rookie.

Malgin finished his second season in the NHL with 11 goals and 22 points in 51 games, essentially doubling his production over his rookie campaign. He also spent another 13 games with the Thunderbirds, where he produced 14 points (4G/10A), proving he is too good to languish at that level.

A creative, versatile, two-way player with good wheels, Malgin is still only 21-years-old, and once he becomes a more consistent scorer, he has a tendency to amass his points in bunches and then go ice cold, could be poised to breakout in the near future. Look for Malgin to hold down one of the three up-for-grabs spots on the club’s third line and to again show significant improvement in his offensive numbers.

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