Maltsev is a big, powerful winger who loves to make plays with both his body and the puck on his stick. He has a powerful skating stride, that, while a little slower in acceleration, can leave the opposition in the dust once he gets going, and with a good set of hands, he is an impressive player to watch. Maltsev possesses a quick little shot that he can get off in a hurry and on target. The young Russian forward goes hard to the slot and earns quality scoring chances working in the gritty areas, using his body to play against physical defensemen. He works well along the boards and deep in the zone to retrieve pucks and create something. Maltsev not only impresses with strong offensive play, but also with his play away from the puck. He shows a strong defensive mindset, making big-time plays and passes to move the puck back up ice after breaking up the play down low. He plays his man hard to the outside and uses his stick, size and strength to his advantage. Maltsev explodes to where to he needs to be when there is a loose puck, either joining the race for it or pulling back into the right position. He has the ability to be fancy with the puck, showing off a creative side as he pulls a slick deke at the proper time to open a lane to pass and then follow it up with a drive to the net as he tries to bang home a tip or rebound. We would like him to play with more edge and intensity on a more consistent basis.   (May 2016)