NHL star Jeff Malott, brother of UFC athlete Mike Malott, will get in a combat on the ice. Los Angeles Kings ahead Jeff Malott stepped as much as defend his teammate Warren Foegele after Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson delivered a crushing hit throughout the groups’ season opener on October 7, 2025. The confrontation sparked speedy response from the Kings bench, with Malott dropping his gloves in opposition to Manson in what grew to become one of many evening’s most talked-about moments.
NHL’s Jeff Malott Drops Gloves After Hit
The incident occurred late within the first interval at Crypto.com Area with 1:34 remaining on the clock. Manson stepped up close to the impartial zone and leveled Foegele with a large open-ice hit that despatched the Kings ahead to the ice. Whereas the hit was deemed clear by officers, it prompted an instantaneous response from Malott, who charged off the bench to confront the Colorado defenseman.
Malott and Manson engaged in a quick however spirited combat, with each gamers exchanging punches earlier than tumbling to the ice and being separated by referees. The altercation resulted in combating majors for each gamers, whereas Malott acquired a further two-minute penalty for instigating the confrontation. The gang at Crypto.com Area responded enthusiastically to Malott’s willingness to face up for his teammate, immediately making him a fan favourite.
Jeff Malott, 29, is a 6-foot-4 left winger who made his NHL debut with the Winnipeg Jets in March 2022 after going undrafted out of Cornell College. The Burlington, Ontario native spent 4 seasons at Cornell, the place he served as crew captain throughout his senior 12 months and recorded 53 factors in 114 profession video games. Following his school profession, Malott signed with the Jets group in 2020 and spent a number of seasons creating within the American Hockey League with the Manitoba Moose earlier than becoming a member of the Kings group in 2024.
This season marked a big milestone for Malott, who secured a spot on an NHL opening-night roster for the primary time in his profession. The Kings’ teaching employees was impressed along with his response to the hit on Foegele. Head coach Jim Hiller commented positively on Malott’s actions, stating he appreciated the response and that the crew had no issues with a participant standing up for his teammate.
Brother of UFC Fighter Mike Malott
Malott‘s combating spirit seems to run within the household. His older brother Mike Malott is a distinguished UFC welterweight fighter with a document of 12 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw. Mike Malott has established himself as a fan favourite within the UFC, incomes two Efficiency of the Evening bonuses and constructing a popularity for his ending capability. The 33-year-old from Burlington, Ontario has received 5 of his six UFC fights, along with his solely loss coming in opposition to veteran Neil Magny in January 2024.
Mike Malott is scheduled to face Kevin Holland at UFC Combat Evening 262 in Vancouver on October 18, 2025. The bout represents a big step up in competitors for Mike, as Holland is a ranked welterweight with intensive UFC expertise.
The timing of Jeff’s NHL combat and Mike’s upcoming UFC bout has created extra consideration for the Malott household identify in fight sports activities circles. Social media posts following the hockey combat steadily referenced Mike’s UFC profession, with commentators noting the household’s pure combating instincts.
Jeff Malott’s efficiency within the season opener prolonged past the combating incident. The next evening in opposition to the Vegas Golden Knights, he scored his first profession NHL objective, deflecting a shot previous goaltender Adin Hill for a memorable milestone. The objective got here off a rush play that Malott helped provoke, exhibiting his capability to contribute offensively in addition to bodily.