MALONE EMBRACING LEADERSHIP ROLE WITH AMERKS
Oct 20, 2022By Suzie Cool
When a player is first drafted by a National Hockey League team, all sights are set on making it to the top league in the world. However, as time goes on in anyone’s career, there comes a moment where a player might begin to reshape exactly what their role is within an organization.
Take it from Rochester Americans alternate captain Sean Malone, a Buffalo native who was originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the sixth-round (159th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.
“I was sort of like an energy guy and played a lot of five-on-five and penalty kill,” discussed Malone on what his role was originally with the Sabres organization compared to now. “My second stint here, I got a little bit more of an opportunity and, I think, I just kind of ran with it. I always thought I had confidence in myself to be an offensive player and I think given the right role I could succeed in that.”
After being drafted, Malone opted to go to college and spend four years at Harvard University, where he amassed 99 points on 42 goals and 57 assists with the Crimson. At the conclusion of his senior season at Harvard in 2016-17, Malone went on to make his NHL debut in Buffalo’s 3-0 loss against the Florida Panthers on Apr. 8, 2017. To this day, its the one and only game he’d get to represent his hometown team at the NHL aside from one other NHL contest with the Nashville Predators in 2020-21.
From then on, the Amerks forward spent three seasons in Rochester, totaling 169 games in his first three seasons from 2017 to 2020. Then COVID hit, Malone’s contract was up, and decisions needed to be made as to where the forward would end up heading into the condensed 2020-21 campaign.
Malone ultimately decided to leave Rochester and instead spend his fourth season splitting time between the Chicago Wolves and Nashville Predators. A short time away from home that helped begin to mold Malone’s new role that we see him taking on now, a mentor to the top prospects throughout the organization.
“It was a nice change of scenery. We had a different situation where we had two different organizations on the same team. We had Carolina and Nashville, so we had certain rules where only six forwards from each organization could play and the power-play was split,” explained Malone when asked about his time outside of the Buffalo pipeline. “It kind of made you make the most of every game you got into and I give credit to the coaching staff there. They gave me a leadership role.”
In his one season with Chicago, Malone made the most of the condensed season, appearing in 23 games despite the doubled-up roster. On top of his 15 points on five goals and 10 assists, Malone went on to appear in one game with the Predators, marking his first game in the NHL in over three years and a much needed confidence booster.
“We had a lot of a lot of really talented, young players and being able to mentor them was special as I was a little bit of an older guy at that point,” continued Malone about his time in Chicago. “I cherished that and tried to carry that on over here and I’m sort of in a similar situation this year. We have a lot of young guys and I’m just trying to set a good example.”
Last year we saw Malone centering a line with standout rookies Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka, proving to be the glue and center piece for two of the organization’s top prospects.
While Malone helped Quinn and Peterka make massive jumps in their professional careers, he came back to Rochester with a newfound role which helped him elevate his offensive game. In returning to Rochester for his second stint with organization, Malone went on to record 20 goals and 37 points, both career-highs, in 39 games with the Amerks during the 2021-22 campaign. The Buffalo native also notched seven points on two goals and five assists in 10 Calder Cup Playoff contests during the Amerks’ run to the North Division Finals.
“I think confidence carried over from my stint in Chicago,” commented Malone when asked why we saw him totaling offensive highs last season. “In coming back here, I give a lot of credit to the coaching staff and giving me a good opportunity early on in the year and opportunity is only as good as you make it. I'm just trying to get better as a player and, certainly, playing with really good players helps with that.”
From being a top prospect himself, to facing adversity through injuries and now becoming a leader who helps mold the top prospects here in Rochester, Malone’s role has continued to change over his tenure in the Flower City. It’s becoming a role that Malone is truly learning to embrace as he gets further into his pro career.
“It’s nice to have that clarity and know what your role is and then just kind of grinding.”
Malone then finished with, “For my entire pro career, I've had some setbacks and some injuries but, it's just made me a better person and having the role that I do now, I embrace it. It makes it a pleasure coming to work every day.”