Anton Malyshev ’26 on his first day at Northwood in 2024. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.
As the school year winds down, we took a look back at last year and caught up with one-year senior Anton Malyshev ‘25. He was a member of the Prep hockey team last year and has spent this hockey season with the New Mexico Ice Wolves of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). His first year at Northwood was also his first time in North America, as he was born in Moscow, Russia. Anton was a big part of the prep team’s success last year, as they were so close to a PHC championship but fell short in the final game.
“Being in North America for the first time was for sure a huge adjustment. Being so far from home and in a new environment was challenging. When I first got here in September, I did not go home or see my family until school ended in May, which was hard. But luckily, the group of staff and teammates made me feel so welcomed and very much appreciated, it was like my home away from home.”
As every Northwood alum can say when they reflect on their time at Northwood, it is how truly special the plays really are, a line that coach Mallaro often uses when talking to his team: “You don’t realize how special this place is until you leave this place,” and it is really a very true statement. “I miss the people, this big change coming here, I thought was not something I would like, but after all the people I met, really made the experience of Northwood for me that I will always remember.”
Right now, Anton and the New Mexico Ice Wolves are getting ready for their first round of playoffs on their chase to the Robertson Cup as they take on the El Paso Rhinos, which will be a fast-paced, hard-checking matchup. “Northwood has helped me with the jump to the next level, making sure I was ready for a faster pace and more physical league, as our practices included a lot of high-paced drills while getting a lot of good battles out of them, so Northwood has helped with my development a lot.”
“My plans following juniors? I plan to attend college and continue my hockey career, but right now, I have not figured out where that may be. Right now, I am just focused on what’s ahead of me here in New Mexico and working my hardest.”
Watch this clip of Anton’s first goal in the NAHL.