Condors' Captain Malone Ready To Lead By Example

BAKERSFIELD, CA - With previous captain Keegan Lowe now with the San Diego Gulls, Bakersfield head coach Jay Woodcroft and staff had to find a new leader of the Condors for this season. The decision wasn’t all that difficult.

For the first time in his career, veteran center Brad Malone is wearing the letter “C” across the chest of his jersey.

“As our coaching staff and management group were talking about who the leaders of our team were, Brad stood out,” Woodcroft said. “He’s a professional’s professional. Somebody who comes to the rink every day with the mindset to be the best that he can be. He’s serious about his craft.”

For Malone, 31, and in his 10th professional season, the new role is only slightly different as he’s been an alternate captain and certainly one of the teams’ leaders since he first set foot in Bakersfield at the beginning of the 2017-18 season.

“I’ve been here now for four years and played under (previous captains Ryan Hamilton and Lowe) and was part of the supporting staff for those guys, Malone said. “To get that letter is a huge honor but nothing is really going to change for me. It's just a huge honor.”

Malone is not a prolific producer of points (118 in 385 career AHL games and 30 in 199 at the NHL level) but his worth to a team goes far beyond an offensively-oriented stat line.

“First and foremost, he’s a great example (for his teammates),” Woodcroft said. “And he's someone with great experience as well. He was a good player in NCAA at a great program (the University of North Dakota). He found his way in the National Hockey League, he’s played 199 games, he has a clear understanding of what it takes to play at the highest level. And he understands that evaluation in the American Hockey League is a day to day thing.

“I’ve gotten to be around Brad the last few years. Not just as a head coach here in Bakersfield but during his first go round up in Edmonton I was an assistant coach. I saw how he conducted himself, how he handled his business and just a really, impressive individual.”

Malone was set to be a free agent over the summer but inked a new two-year AHL deal with the Condors late last April.

“For myself and my family, we had some discussion about the opportunity in other places or to come back here and I think it was a pretty quick decision and a no brainer,” he said of signing a new contract. “We love living in this community. Just being familiar with the staff and the city. It’s a place we really enjoy to play and live. When the opportunity arose to come back for two more years it was something we were really excited about.”

Malone was one of the first players to come back to Bakersfield last September and he was quickly joined by fourth-year player Luke Esposito, who also signed a new two-year AHL deal last April.

“It was an easy decision for me once I saw there was interest on their side,” Esposito said. “I had an opportunity here from the beginning, starting on a try out a couple of years ago. The coaching staff, the management really gave me a great opportunity from the beginning. I think they really value hard work here and that’s something that I know I can bring.”

Esposito said Malone has helped him grow as a professional player.

“Brad has been invaluable to me the last couple of years,” Esposito said. “I think we really took a step this year as well. We both have been in Bakersfield since October training together and skating together."

“For the two of us it’s just not the physical side of the game, it’s also the mental. Just being able to talk with him on a daily basis about different plays on the ice, different strategies. Places you find yourself and how to get out of them. He’s been really helpful. I’m thankful to have that opportunity to train with him and just watch him work.”

The Condors, who lost a two game-set to San Diego in Irvine last weekend, host the Henderson Silver Knights  (2-0) in the first of a two game set on Friday night.

It will be a much different environment (zero fans) than the last home game at Mechanic’s Bank Arena on March 7, 2020 (nearly 8,000 fans).

“It’s going to be a different thing … but everybody in the league and all of professional sports is in that situation,” Malone said. “It’s a good lesson for all of us to be professionals and keep going forward here. In terms of being a hockey club and wanting to succeed, we have to take pride in playing well at this arena, establishing it as a tough place to play for road teams.

“This is our first opportunity to do that against a new opponent who I am sure as the years go on will be a big rivalry just because of the proximity of the two teams. It’s a big contest for us in terms of getting back on the right foot.”