Tommies’ Top Guy

If you come up with a list of the most underrated college hockey players, chances are St. Thomas forward Liam Malmquist would be on it.

After having a solid junior season as a transfer from Wisconsin, Malmquist has emerged as the Tommies’ most potent offensive threat as he currently has 19 points, with 13 of them being assists. Two of his six goals have been shorthanded.

Malmquist may put on a good show on the ice at times, but when asked about his accomplishments so far, he stays humble. However, he does admit that as an Edina alum, he’s embraced the stigma of being a “cake eater” to hockey fans around Minnesota.

“I think it’s awesome,” he said, with a laugh. “You grow up and guys know what Edina is. You get so used to it. You never really hear it (at first) because you’re always around other Edina guys growing up, but when you branch out, you’ll hear it. I think it’s funny.

“We were playing at Bemidji State this year and we were coming off intermission during Saturday’s game and they had some Bemidji alumni thing. We were walking through the tunnel and one of the alumni screamed ‘Hey Malmquist, you cake eater.’ It was a crucial game, so I was trying to stay focused, but I smirked and laughed at it. I’m used to it and it doesn’t bother me at all.”

It’s hard to rattle Malmquist on the ice as he carries himself with a quiet poise. As a former tennis player, he knows how to take advantage of any opportunity that comes his way.

“I like having the puck,” he said. “I like having the plays there for me and being able to see the whole ice sheet and seeing guys move to where they’re going to be. I like when I can do some quick cut-ups and enter the zone with speed and use my edges to change direction to try to catch people off guard. I also like if there’s a play and I can take a chance to try to do it by using my speed.

“Hockey is like a tennis match in a sense. Each shift and each period and each game is brand new. Maybe in different games, I try to use my speed depending on the team, and other times, I’ll need to be a lot smarter and use my head more than my legs.”

Liam Malmquist said being called an Edina “cake eater” doesn’t bother him. (MHM Photo / Ryan Stieg)

College-hockey decision was a tough choice
When it came time to decide on where to play college hockey, Malmquist had a tough time deciding as he wanted to find the perfect fit like his father found playing for Harvard or his brother Dylan found suiting up for Notre Dame. Liam eventually found it in Madison playing for the Badgers.

“It was a tough decision,” he said. “I was talking to other schools and a lot of the people I was talking with were really nice, and I have nothing but good things to say about my recruitment process. I wanted to make sure I was going to a place where I was going to get an opportunity. I didn’t want to rush, but I also had an opportunity to play junior hockey at the same time. Madison, at the end of the day, was the right fit. I respected (then head coach) Tony Granato and his way of thinking about the game and how he approached recruiting me.

“My two years in Madison were unbelievable. We didn’t have the best records or the playoff runs that we’d hoped for, but the guys were really nice and supportive. I learned a lot from my first two years just going to a big school with a city feel to it. At the end of the day, it worked out where I got to experience it and now, I’m back closer to home.”

After Malmquist’s sophomore year at Wisconsin, Granato was fired and replaced by former Minnesota State head coach Mike Hastings. After some initial discussions with his new coach, Malmquist decided the perfect fit might be somewhere else.

“I was still hoping to play hockey in Madison, but they had Mike Hastings come in, and I had a couple conversations with him prior to entering the portal,” Malmquist said. “I have nothing but respect for him as well. He’s the real deal. I wanted to express what I thought I could be and where I saw myself. I’m sure he had his own system and his own ideas in place, and it didn’t end up fitting mutually.

“So, it was a personal decision to enter the portal. I kind of took a leap of faith. I had a lot of people supporting me and people who had my back and taught me how to manage. It was pretty stressful and it’s hard when you’re at a place for two years and it feels like your home. But then time moves so fast and you kind of blink and it’s gone and then you’re back to where it started with recruitment.

“I was fortunate to talk with some schools and heard a lot hockey minds and perspectives on things, and I guess it all shifted when I got the call from (Tommies head coach) Rico (Blasi), (assistant coaches) Leon (Hayward) and Cory (Laylin). They were super supportive and really excited to talk to me. It was easy for me at the time because I knew what they were bringing in and I knew a lot of the guys already and who they had already recruited from the portal. My decision to leave Madison wasn’t against anyone. It was just kind of personal and wanting to try a different experience. I’m taking what I learned at Madison and am trying to continue to grow at St. Thomas.”

Before skating with Wisconsin and St. Thomas in college hockey, Liam Malmquist won the Class 2A state championship with Edina in 2019. (MHM Photo / Ryan Stieg)

Malmquist has produced on the stats sheet for Tommies
The Tommies were predicted to be better last season, but ended up surpassing preseason expectations by finishing second in the CCHA. Malmquist was a big reason for that as he finished with 10 goals and was second on the team in points with 27. When asked what created that sudden offensive explosion, Malmquist said there were a lot of factors, but it might’ve just come down to a new mindset.

“I think the biggest thing when I got to St. Thomas was the feeling of ‘I’ve got nothing to lose,’” he said. “Rico was really appreciative of who I was right away, and he gave me confidence and an opportunity that a lot of guys would want. I had the support of teammates and some really good guys and got set up with special teams with really good players. It kind of took off and after that first game at St. Cloud, we got that win and everything burst wide open. It was just, go out and play and just enjoy it.”

Now that he’s on track to probably having an even better statistical season this year, Malmquist said that he’s continuing to block out the noise around him.

“When you’re not focusing on the things you can’t control, things tend to work out point-wise,” he said. “You get compliments and you get some confidence from it. I’m just continuing on what it was last year. Everyone in that room, including myself, is there to win a hockey game. I know everyone will do whatever they can to get a result. Individually, I try not to focus on any of that. If we can get a clean breakout and move five guys on the ice and snap it around five or six times and create a chance, that catches my eye more than stats.

“It goes back to having confidence in myself. Last week, I was playing with (teammates) Matt (Gleason) and Lucas (Wahlin), who are unbelievable players, and two years ago at Madison, I maybe wasn’t playing as much. Now, I’m here as a senior, and it’s pretty amazing. I’m playing a top role on a top team with all these top players.”

Malmquist may be underrated nationally, but right now, it’s clear that he’s the Tommies’ top guy.