Player Spotlight

Player Spotlight highlights the finer details and elements while supplying insight to the fans on what a player's thought process may be pertaining to a certain play, game or situation. It brings the intensity, passion, and inner most thoughts of the individual player that otherwise may not be felt or heard.



Click Here to read Dan Teat's Player Spotlight.



Since signing with the Buffalo Bandits as a free agent in September 1999, Derek Malawsky has become one of the National Lacrosse League's top scoring threats. He and teammate John Tavares form one of the league's most dangerous 1-2 scoring combinations. PLPA Correspondent Tom Borrelli caught up with Derek Malawsky and talked about lacrosse in a Bandit uniform.




Question How did it feel to tie the Bandits' all-time record for points in one game with 14 against the Philadelphia Wings Saturday night?
Answer I wasn't preparing myself to score a lot of goals or get a lot of points, it just sort of happened with the flow. I got it going halfway through the first quarter and it seemed like we had it going all night.


Question Has coming to Buffalo from the Ontario Raiders been everything you'd thought it would be?
Answer Everything and more actually. It's been great to come to a contender right away and I look forward to some great success with the team here.


Question Have you surprised yourself with how well you've played in Buffalo?
Answer I guess I have. Playing with some of the guys we have on this team has really helped me be more successful. I just try to contribute as much as I can to the team's success.


Question Looking back at how Toronto didn't see fit to keep you, do you look back at it with a smile sometimes when you see them struggle to score goals?
Answer It was nice to play against them and to beat them last year because it was a bit of redemption. Our team here is very good at scoring goals and we plan to continue that.


Question What's been the best part of playing for the Buffalo organization?
Answer Everyone has been so open and together. Everyone can speak their mind and say their peace and everybody else will listen. That helps bring us even closer.


Question Have you played with a more multi-faceted talent than John Tavares before?
Answer I'd have to compare him to Paul Gait, who I got to play with one summer (1998 with the Buffalo Gamblers of the Ontario Lacrosse Association). It's so great to be able to play alongside someone with talent like that.


Question How close is this Bandits team?
Answer Whatever goes on in the locker room is going to have an effect on the floor, so we try to keep it as tight as we can in the room and that translates well out on the floor for us.


Question Does it bother you that the crowds in Buffalo aren't as large as they once were?
Answer Definitely. I've heard the 16 or 17 thousand number a couple of years and it makes it tough when you're only getting half that now. It's kind of frustrating, especially when we're playing well, but at the same time you have to try to block that out and play your game. Hopefully the fans will start filing back in to see us play again.


Question What do you consider the strength of your own game?
Answer Probably my legs, because I always keep moving as much as I can, plus my ability to read the play and set up other players.


Question What are you still working on in your personal game?
Answer Probably the defensive end. I don't have a lot of experience there because I've always been an offensive player. The transition of going from defense to offense I could probably work on as well.


Question Is that part of the game getting easier for you with the work?
Answer It is and a lot of the guys are helping me with it. The coaching here is pretty solid and they give me hints here and there that really help out.



Question You led the Western League in scoring over the summer. Did you come into this NLL season with a full head of steam?
Answer My confidence was at a peak. I have my own personal goals when it comes to that (statistics) but I try not to let that get ahead of me too far.



Question How much do you and your older brother Curt (who's a member of the Rochester Knighthawks) communicate during the season?
Answer We try to communicate as much as we can. We'd like to be on the same team but we're not. When's he's not winning, he doesn't want to talk about it, and neither do I when we don't win. But generally we'll talk a couple times each week.



Question Do you hope that some day you'll be teammates in the NLL?
Answer Sure. He's three years older than me (Derek is 27) so his career will probably be over before mine is. I'd love for us to get together as teammates and maybe even be able to win a championship. That would sure be nice.



PLPA Correspondent

Tom Borrelli, fell in love with lacrosse while writing for his school campus paper "The Record" as a student at Buffalo State College in 1977.

He has seen and covered over 1000 games at all levels which includes the Buffalo Bandits for the Buffalo News since their inception in 1991, NCAA Tournament games, Final Four Championships, upstate New York schools games, the Canadian Mann Cup Championship, the OLA Major Box Lacrosse Series, the Buffalo Gamblers of the OLA Major Series and high school events.

Tom presently writes for the Buffalo News and does extensive feature writing for Lacrosse Magazine and Inside Lacrosse. Between pro box, college and high school field and OLA box lacrosse Tom attends about 50 to 60 games a year (and Dick Vitale thinks he has it made with hoops!) The PLPA is happy to have Tom on board as a contributing writer for the Player Spotlight.



Past Spotlights

PlayerTeam
Dan TeatAlbany Attack
Derek MalawskyBuffalo Bandits
Josh SandersonAlbany Attack
Steve FannellAlbany Attack
Ryan PowellBuffalo Bandits
Cam WoodsAlbany Attack
Colin DoyleToronto Rock
Peter SchmitzPLPA President
Glen ClarkToronto Rock
Pat O'TooleRochester Knighthawks
Mike AccursiBuffalo Bandits
Phil SandersonAlbany Attack
Matt ShearerPittsburg Crossefire
Tim SoudanRochester Knighthawks
Jason WulderNew York Saints
Ted DowlingAlbany Attack
Mark MillonSyracuse Smash
Mark FryeNew York Saints
Pat MaddalenaBuffalo Bandits
Paul GaitPittsburgh Crossefire
Rich KilgourBuffalo Bandits
Chris GillToronto Rock
Paul CantabenePittsburg Crossefire
Adam MuellerAlbany Attack
Shawn WilliamsBuffalo Bandits
John Grant JRRochester Knighthawks
Mike AccursiSyracuse Smash
Gary Gait Baltimore Thunder
Tom RyanBaltimore Thunder
John TavaresBuffalo Bandits
Tim SoudanRochester Knighthawks
Kevin FinneranPhiladelphia Wings
Bob WatsonToronto Rock
Jim VeltmanToronto Rock
Jake BergeyPhiladelphia Wings
Chris PanosBuffalo Bandits
Troy CordingleyBuffalo Bandits
Regy ThorpeRochester Knighthawks


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