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Canadiens centre Manny Malhotra persevering through vision impairment
The pressure was on.
The Montreal Canadiens were leading their historic rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3 in Wednesday’s season opener.
Just over 20 seconds remained in regulation time and all eyes were on the face-off circle to the left of Habs goalie Carey Price.
Fourth-line centre Manny Malhotra, who signed a one-year deal with the Canadiens in the offseason, skated to the dot. His focus was on executing a task he had been contracted to do - win the draw and shut down the opposition.
It is an important role for any player, but especially significant for someone who has battled back from a serious injury to his left eye which resulted in visual impairment.
Thankfully for Malhotra, a face-off specialist, the injury has not affected his ability in the circle. And so, just as he had done all night, he won the draw, this time from Tyler Bozak. A few moments later, the game was over.
"To be honest, nothing has changed at all face-off wise,” he told Eh Game after the game. “The visual field is all there as far as what I require in the circle so that hasn’t changed one bit."
The numbers back him up. Behind Tomas Plekanec, Malhotra took the second most face-offs on the team Wednesday and went 11-for-16 (69 per cent). The only players on either team with a higher winning percentage took a negligible number of draws (Tor: David Clarkson, 2-for-2 / Mtl: Alex Galchenyuk, 1-for-1).
"We talked about it in the room. These are the types of games you want to be a part of, you want to be involved.” he said. “Having the coaches' confidence to put me out there in that situation means a lot to me and those kind of situations push me to be better."
Malhotra's eye injury occurred in March 2011 when he was hit by an errant puck while playing for the Vancouver Canucks.
Despite multiple subsequent surgeries, he was able to maintain his success rate in the circle over 78 games the following season where he won 58.5 percent of the face-offs he took.
But it is the other elements of the game in which he has had to make the biggest adjustments.
The lasting impact of the injury was so severe that the Canucks questioned his safety on the ice and effectively shelved him, placing him on injured reserve after nine games during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.
He returned last season with the Carolina Hurricanes, playing 69 games after signing a 25-game professional tryout contract with their AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers.
"His vision damaged, he says he compensated by throwing his shoulder checks earlier and being more aware of his position on the ice."
With the Hurricanes, he scored seven goals, added six assists and registered an even rating while posting an impressive 59.4 face-off winning percentage.
"Prior to being shut down (in Vancouver), I felt really good on the ice, I felt more like myself so I knew it was there,” he said. “It was just a matter of being given that opportunity. I was very grateful and ecstatic when Carolina gave me the opportunity to prove myself.”
The Canadiens were pleased enough with what they saw to bring the 34-year-old on board for $850,000.
Now in his 16th NHL season, the former first-round draft pick of the New York Rangers provides the Canadiens with an added bonus of a veteran voice in the dressing room on a team which is without a designated captain.
“He brings a lot of wisdom to our team, a lot of experience,” said Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban. “He is very vocal in the room, he’s pulled me aside and told me to be more vocal with the guys.”
Subban commended his teammate for battling through the injury and playing in spite of it saying Malhotra has shown “great resiliency.”
Malhotra’s commitment to returning to the NHL was recognized at the end of last season when he was nominated as one of the three finalists for the Bill Masterton Trophy which is often awarded to players who have come back after battling various forms of adversity.
The fuel for his drive on the road back to “the show” has been an unshakable vision that he would return no matter what the circumstances.
”I think as an athlete in general, you have to believe in yourself or there is really no point in showing up.”
Follow Neil Acharya on Twitter: @Neil_Acharya
