Blue Jackets recall forward James Malatesta from Monsters
Dec 18, 2024The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, top affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, announced Wednesday that the Blue Jackets recalled forward James Malatesta from the Monsters. In 25 appearances for Cleveland this season, Malatesta tallied 6-6-12 with 25 penalty minutes.
A 5’9”, 193 lb. left-shooting native of Montreal, QC, Malatesta, 21, was selected by Columbus in the fifth round (133rd overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and supplied 2-2-4 with five penalty minutes in 11 appearances for the Blue Jackets last season in the first action of his NHL career. In 81 career AHL appearances, all for Cleveland spanning parts of two seasons from 2023-24, Malatesta registered 18-16-34 with 104 penalty minutes.
Prior to his professional career, Malatesta logged 98-89-187 with 154 penalty minutes and a +41 rating in 214 career QMJHL appearances for the Quebec Remparts spanning parts of four seasons from 2019-23. In 2022-23, Malatesta led Quebec to the QMJHL and Memorial Cup Championships, was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team, earned the Guy LaFleur Trophy as QMJHL MVP, and claimed the Stafford Smythe Trophy as Memorial Cup MVP.
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