Sam and Jacob Malinski are no strangers to hard work. They learned to skate around the time most children are still perfecting their walk. The brothers have had dreams of playing hockey ever since they could remember. From knee hockey in the basement to Division 1 and the NHL, the Malinski Brothers’ dreams are just getting started.

Road to the Big Leagues

The brothers grew up and started their hockey careers in Lakeville, MN, separated by 4 years of age. Both described their careers as somewhat late blooming. Attending Lakeville South, Sam and Jacob realized they had the potential to go to the next level during their high school years. Jacob remembers being a middle-of-the-pack player until one summer when he took training extra seriously. Meanwhile, Sam said his sophomore year of high school was the turning point where he knew he could play at the next level. Without great work ethics and dedication, neither brother would be where they are today.

After a successful career at Lakeville South, Sam Malinski played two years of junior hockey in Iowa and North Dakota. But Sam was cut from the team in Iowa and hit a low point, however he used this as motivation to become the best player he can be. After taking his talents to North Dakota, Sam put on a show and his hard work wouldn’t go unnoticed. In late 2018, he announced his commitment to play collegiate hockey at Cornell University. Starting off hot in his freshman season, Sam went on to earn many accolades and honors during his four years at Cornell. However he wouldn’t end up being drafted by an NHL team throughout college. But the day finally came, in March of 2023, he finally got his shot in the big leagues, signing as a free agent with the Colorado Avalanche and playing in 23 games as a rookie this past season.

Jacob Malinski picked up right where his older brother left off at Lakeville South. Playing four years of varsity hockey, he helped his team make it to the Minnesota State Championship game in 2021. He then went on to play juniors in Austin, Minnesota. Jacob had to outwork and out-compete other players looking to earn a scholarship. He went through most of his juniors career uncommitted to play anywhere, but in his final season was named captain of his team and secured his spot at the Division I level. Jacob is now going into his sophomore season at the University of Vermont and is looking to build off his solid freshman campaign.

Transforming Their Training

Knowing the importance of data and testing, the brothers came into the Human Powered Health Performance Lab in Edina during their off-season training. In our state-of-the-art performance lab, we can take players through many of the NHL combine tests, including VO2max, Wingate, Grip Strength and more.

Sam Malinski came in last summer and was eager to get back in the lab. He talked about why these assessments are crucial: “The force plates and the Proteus calculate your explosiveness, and it translates to skating or any sport.” Sam also spoke on embracing his testing results: “It gives me the data on what I need to improve on.”

When asked about the importance of getting testing done, Jacob said, “Data is the biggest thing that helps you at a higher level.” He also expressed his excitement, saying, “It’s going to be cool to go back to Vermont and show my strength coach all this data.” Noticing where he can improve and adjusting his training to build up any weaknesses.

With this offseason being the first summer the brothers are training fully together, the sibling rivalry never ends. They compare and battle with each other to get the most out of their program. Sam spoke on how their offseason is going: “I’d say we’ve both been working pretty hard. It’s been a tough offseason with some tough workouts we’ve been working through.”

The Path to Success

Both Sam and Jacob are on the path to achieving their dreams. We asked them to give advice to younger hockey players and athletes. Jacob started off by stating, “I think the biggest piece of advice is to believe it’s possible and then work towards it.” Sam stayed on the same route, saying, “Dream big, know that it’s possible. You have to work towards it, and it is not going to come if you do not.” Both encouraged players to trust their work ethic and believe that anything is doable.

We’d like to thank Sam and Jacob Malinski for their visit. We hope the testing will enhance their training as they look to keep working hard in this offseason. We wish them the best of luck heading into the upcoming season, and will be cheering them on as they pursue their true potential!