| James Malatesta | Lac St-Louis Tigres Espoir | Midget | L | F | 5’9″ | 179 | Quebec Ramparts | Pointe-Claire, QC | 2003 | 2020-2021: A- |
QMJHL: Shawinigan Cataractes at Quebec Remparts, March 6, 2021: Malatesta created opportunities with his speed. On a harmless looking breakout in the first period, he burst through the neutral zone to get open for a stretch pass, then beat two Shawinigan defenders wide in the offensive zone to get a shot on net. Malatesta was once again guilty of trying to do too much by himself in this game, however. There were times he tried to stickhandle past multiple defenders instead of moving the puck to an open linemate. Overall, he could of, and should of, used his teammates more in this one. Rating: C+
QMJHL: Gatineau Olympiques at Quebec Remparts, February 15, 2021: Early in this game, Malatesta was guilty of trying to do too much. On a couple of occasions he tried to gain the offensive zone by attempting to stickhandle around nearly every Gatineau defender in his path. Both times the result was a turnover and the play going the opposite direction. His speed was on display early in the second period, as he picked up a pass at the hashmarks in his own zone, and raced past three Gatineau defenders en route to a clear breakaway at the other end of the ice. Thanks in large part to his speed, Malatesta had a number of scoring opportunities in the game, however he didn’t show a finishing touch as his shot attempts did not prove to be serious scoring threats. Rating: B
QMJHL: Rimouski Oceanic at Quebec Remparts, February 6, 2021: Malatesta was the fastest player on the ice in this game. He used his speed to create scoring opportunities, pressure Rimouski into mistakes with the puck, and draw a pair of penalties. In the first period he used a great burst of speed to intercept a D-to-D pass at his own blueline, before taking the puck all the way down to the Rimouski net for a scoring opportunity. He pulled off a similar play in the second period, when he raced back to the defensive zone to break up a three-on-two break for Rimouski. The play then turned the other way, leading to a breakaway goal by Malatesta. Rating: A
QMJHL: Quebec Remparts VS Halifax Mooseheads, February 29, 2020 Game Evaluation: Sotiri Athanasopoulos: One of the best 16 year olds in the CHL who’s enjoyed an outstanding season leading his team in many facets. There’s a lot to like in his game as he can fill in many different roles throughout the lineup. He’s a hound on the forecheck, tough in the corners winning his battles and has blazing speed when given open ice. Even as an underage player, defenseman in the league have learned to respect Malatesta’s speed playing a conservative gap on him so they don’t get burnt wide. Along with his speed he can shoot the puck in many different ways- off his back foot, in tight to his body or in stride when breaking in on the goalie. He had a nice assist in this game where he rolled up on the top of the circles patiently holding onto the puck before ripping a shot off the pads, having his linemate bang home the rebound. There were some nice rushes as well carrying the puck from the neutral zone in deep before making a nice play to a trailing defenseman. As he continues to develop and mature, Malatesta will round out his game on working on the details to make him complete. Once he gains more confidence to control the puck and believe in his natural ability, he will be a scary player moving forward. Look for this name to be prevalent in many draft rankings next season. Game score: B Draft Projection 2021: 1 st round NHL Comparison: Jake Debrusk
Quebec Remparts NHL Prospects, February 11, 2020: Malatesta has had a breakout rookie season for Québec. The Remparts’ 7th Rounder in the 2019 QMJHL Draft, Malatesta slid as there was talk he may pursue a career in the NCAA. The Remparts are glad he chose to play Major Junior, as the rookie has put up 22 goals over 48 games so far this season. Watching him, it is easy to see why. He works hard to win pucks, is a quick skater, and has a good amount of skill. He has the speed to chase down loose pucks, to break away and drive the net, and the ability to win battles in the neutral zone to create chances on transition. He had an assist on a good touch to his teammate in the neutral zone, and moved the puck pretty well on the PP. Malatesta is eligible for the 2021 NHL Draft.
Drummondville Midget Espoir Tournament, December 2017: Leading his team in goals and tied for the lead in points, James was a real force out there for Quebec blue. Showing off his quick skating and vision with the puck, James was able to go around players with ease. Look for him to be a top prospect on the LSL Lions major midget team next year. Grade: A