The 40-year-old Malhotra’s NHL playing career was forged as a prototypical checking-line center who put his work habits and attention to detail on the defensive side of the game / penalty kill ahead of his skill and desire to produce offense — a transformation he had to undergo throughout his career as a former seventh-overall pick of the Rangers in the 1998 draft.
As someone who will be working with a lot of high-skill star forwards in Toronto who are still honing those aforementioned areas of their games, there might be something to be said for the value of his experience and presence rubbing off in that respect.