AHL club celebrates career of Miramichi's Malone

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While the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup playoffs got underway earlier this week, a special retirement ceremony in Bakersfield, California, this past weekend continues to resonate from the west all the way to Miramichi.

Earlier this month, New Brunswick’s Brad Malone announced he was returning at the end of the AHL campaign and the Bakersfield Condors, where he skated for the majority of the past seven pro seasons, threw a pre-game party this past Saturday he will never forget.

“Thank you for today, fellas,” said the Miramichi native in the team’s dressing room after he capped a 5-3 victory over the Henderson Silver Knights with a third period goal that put a perfect bow on a night in which he was named first star. “It was something I will remember and appreciate for the rest of my life. I was happy I could share it with you guys.”

During a pre-game ceremony in front of 8,017 fans in Bakersfield, the prime affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers, Malone’s career was centre stage as he received gifts and well wishes from many inside the organization where he has served as captain for the past four years.

Malone, his wife Bryelle and children Banks and Cali were honoured at centre ice on a night where his teammates wore special No. 17 Malone t-shirts and he received special video tributes from family and former teammates.

“Congratulations, Daddy. We love you,” said his young son Banks in one of the videos. “We love to watch the warm-ups every day. You are the best player in the world.”

Malone, who turns 35 next month, played 316 regular-season games with the Condors as part of a pro career that started in 2010-11 after four years of NCAA play at the University of North Dakota.

He was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the fourth round of the 2007 NHL draft and that translated into a lengthy career, which included 217 regular season and eight playoff games with the Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers.

Yet his impact with Bakersfield provided the focal point of his career and was richly celebrated during his special night.

In a family video, messages came from Malone’s wife and son, his parents Vicky and Jim from Miramichi, his brother Brett and father-in-law Kirk Muller.

“Congratulations Brad,” his wife Bryelle said as part of the two and half minute family video. “We love you so much and are so extremely proud of you. The last seven seasons have been incredible to watch you do what you love to do.”

“How did we get here, your last home game of the regular season as a Condor?” said his mother Vicky. “The last seven years have been a wonderful experience for you, Bryelle, Banks and Cali, where you have made a lot of wonderful memories and friends.”

In addition, there was a tribute video of almost five minutes featuring comments from current and former Bakersfield teammates, lauding Malone’s influence as a leader.

“No teammate has had a bigger impact on my career than you,” said Luke Esposito, a former teammate to Malone. “Your loyalty and selflessness is unmatched and it was an honour to have you as my captain.”

Malone and the Condors finished with a 35-28-6-3 record in the regular season and in his final game, his third goal of the year came on a redirection in front of the net at the 8:11 mark.

“It has been a 20-year journey since I left home, and this is the only place I’ve called home since leaving,” Malone said. “I’m most proud of the relationships we’ve made here with close friends and the culture we’ve created on and off the ice. I’m thankful for my family, staff, teammates and everyone I was able to learn from that came before me. I’m not a leader who leads by himself and I’m proud of our team success and looking forward to a long postseason run.”

Bakersfield fell 5-1 to the Ontario Reign in the opening game of the Calder Cup playoffs on Wednesday. Game 2 of the best-of-three takes place Saturday in Bakersfield.