Malte Vass (D, L, 6’2″, 185, Farjestad BK, 03/28/2007)
Malte Vass is a strong, mobile, and physical defenseman who plays a defensively sound, old-school game while also contributing effectively to offensive transitions. With his size, skating mechanics, and elite defensive game processing, Vass is a reliable two-way presence who can play both sides of the blue line. While he brings significant value on the penalty kill and excels in defensive-zone coverage, continued improvements in his skating speed and offensive creativity will further solidify his NHL potential.
Strengths
Defensive Game Processing and Physicality:
Vass has excellent defensive instincts and awareness, consistently scanning the ice and pre-reading plays so he can shut them down as quickly as possible.
He excels at eliminating checks in the defensive zone, particularly off the puck, and is highly effective in man-to-man coverage.
His physical presence is a standout trait, delivering hard hits (1.5 per game) and routinely engaging with opponents through body and stick checks.
Puck Movement and Transition Play:
Vass demonstrates high hockey IQ when moving the puck, using effective indirect passes and hitting tight windows to spring forwards into transition.
He understands how to catch forecheckers going the wrong direction. He reverses plays below the goal line and provides safety-valve options for his defensive partners highlights his composure under pressure.
He is a solid puck-mover who consistently executes high-percentage low-risk plays on breakouts.
Penalty Killing and Defensive Zone Coverage:
A standout penalty killer who uses his size and stick effectively to disrupt passing lanes and clear the crease.
He competes with intensity, protecting the net-front and challenging opponents in high-danger areas.
Skating Mechanics:
Vass is a smooth skater for his size, displaying efficient heel-to-heel pivots and a powerful stride.
His mobility allows him to smoothly move laterally when pinching line rushes off in the neutral zone and to join offensive plays without getting caught out of position.
Versatility and Intimidation:
Capable of playing both left and right defense with equal effectiveness.
Vass plays with an edge, often intimidating opponents with his physicality and willingness to engage.
Areas for Improvement
Skating Speed and Acceleration:
While Vass has strong skating mechanics and an athletic posture, his overall speed and explosiveness need improvement, particularly in transition and recovery situations.
Developing a quicker first step and more explosiveness will help him keep pace with quicker opponents on the smaller ice sheets in North America and improve his ability to join offensive rushes effectively.
Offensive Contributions:
Vass is consistent in getting pucks to the net (1.7 shots on goal per game) but has limited creativity in generating offensive opportunities and engaging in mid-wall scissor plays or attacking the backdoor from the weakside.
Focusing on improving his deception and accuracy, as a high number of his attempts are blocked (0.75 per game) or miss the net (0.75 per game).
Puck Management:
With 4 giveaways per game, Vass needs to reduce turnovers turnovers at the offensive blueline that get his forwards trapped below the puck.
Battle Consistency:
Despite winning 55% of his 50/50 battles, Vass could improve his net front defending by establishing his ice earlier and using his strength to plant his inside edges on the ice to prevent opposing forwards from generating screens.
Key Development Goals
Improve Explosiveness: Work on skating speed and acceleration to enhance his effectiveness in transition and defensive recoveries.
Improve Offensive Skillset: Focus on getting pucks to the net to increase offensive contributions.
Minimize Turnovers: Puck management under pressure on the offensive side of the redline.
Leverage Physicality: Continue developing strength to dominate board battles and improve consistency in puck retrievals.
Projection
Malte Vass projects as a defensive-minded, second-pair NHL defenseman with penalty-kill capabilities and the versatility to play both sides of the ice. His ability to move the puck reliably, combined with his size and physical presence, makes him a valuable asset. Continued development in his skating speed and offensive game could elevate him into a more prominent top-pairing defender.
Draft Outlook
We currently have Vass rated as an early second round selection. Teams will value his size, sandpaper mindset, and reliability, but his upside will depend on his ability to develop his speed and offensive skill set.
Player Comparison
Adam Larsson: A steady, physical, and reliable defender with excellent defensive instincts, a strong net-front presence, and underrated puck-moving abilities.
Final Assessment
Vass is a reliable, physical, and mobile defenseman with the tools to excel in a shutdown role at the NHL level. His defensive game, size, and hockey IQ are already well-developed, while his offensive upside and skating can be improved with focused development. Vass has the potential to be a valuable asset for an NHL team, providing stability, physicality, and smart puck movement on the blue line.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images