Namita Nayyar:
You committed to Ohio State as a high school freshman. That’s a big decision to make so early. What was it about the Buckeyes program that gave you the confidence to lock in your future so soon?
Emma Maltais:
This is a great question! Honestly, I feel like my parents and I just had a feeling that that is where I belonged. It was truly odd, that there was this force that was so compelling to me about that place. The hockey program was one where I knew I would play, not necessarily win but play and develop (little did I know!). Healthcare was my classroom interest and they had some of the best teaching and internship opportunities with the hospital on campus. And also just the culture, everyone who is a Buckeye loves to be a Buckeye.
Namita Nayyar:
Your freshman year at Ohio State was nothing short of spectacular, breaking records for WCHA Rookie of the Month awards. Did you feel any pressure to live up to the hype, or did the transition feel natural to you?
Emma Maltais:
I didn’t feel much pressure at all! My class was amazing, I had an amazing group of confident women around me and we were all looking to make a difference in the program. Many of my class and the class below me currently play in the PWHL! The older girls were so supportive too so I think the culture of that team was just so natural and a year of hockey I will always cherish.
Namita Nayyar:
You consistently point-produced and were a three-time All-WCHA First Team selection. Looking back, which teammate or coach at Ohio State pushed you the hardest to become the player you are today?
Emma Maltais:
My coach Nadine Muzerall pushed me to every limit I had and same with my strength coach Chris Friend. I was training in ways I never thought I would in the summers and then in season I was the fittest, and mentally toughest I think I will ever be from them. Coach Muz taught me how to push to go get what you want and how commitment to the team and everyday grind can make a difference. They both instilled this underdog mentality in me that has forever impacted my career.
Namita Nayyar:
You interned at the Ohio State Neurological Institute while pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. How did that experience in a clinical setting shape your perspective on health, the human body, and perhaps even how you approach recovery and training?
Emma Maltais:
Yes but I think the biggest thing I learned from this experience was that I can apply the skills I learned from hockey in an everyday life setting. At the same time as this internship, I was working as a hostess at a restaurant in the nights and I really put my time management and work ethic to good use.
I also think the passion I felt for helping people in that moment was not something I had touched on academically yet, the feeling of making a difference, and one that we always chase. I think that feeling of security and balance in life allowed me to experience and enjoy hockey rather than have tons of pressure in it. I think this really helped my career.
Namita Nayyar:
You later returned to earn your Master’s in Bioethics online. Your thesis focused on the ethics of women athletes returning to play after a break. What inspired that specific topic, and how has studying bioethics changed the way you view dilemmas both in sports and in life?
Emma Maltais:
My masters in bioethics was a way to add to my academic portfolio while continuing to play hockey (or that’s how it started) and I enjoyed the topics a lot more than I had anticipated. I think being a Canadian in classes with discusses ethical matters and matters of perspective and factors of opinion taught me so much, not only medically but in everyday situations. Allowing a space for everyone to share their opinions and hear people out, agreeing to disagree, and explaining why your point of view is yours versus assuming its right is something that is very important in communication and something I didn’t realize how much I needed. My thesis focus came about because I wanted to apply my works to sport and I had had some teammates that has undergone ethical dilemmas in their careers. I though compiling different cases into a paper would be something that would interest me and also look at if I ever came across a returning from injury dilemma one day.
Namita Nayyar:
In 2020, you were a top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award. How do you reflect on that recognition, and how did it fuel your drive for your senior season?
Emma Maltais:
The Patty Kazmaier Award is an extremely difficult award to win and I was honoured to be nominated. I think that it was always a goal of mine to be nominated for this deep down but I never thought it was possible with my style of play. I think it proved to me how I can do both!
Namita Nayyar:
You were drafted 11th overall by Toronto in the inaugural PWHL draft. What was that moment like, knowing you’d be playing for your home province in a historic new league?
Emma Maltais:
Initially, I would never have guessed I would have ended up in Toronto and I think thats what makes this experience I’ve been on even cooler. I thought that I wanted a change, to experience a different city away from home. But it made me realize how much I had really experienced Toronto and how amazing it is to be in the city alongside friends that feel like home, and family. I’ve gotten to share my home with teammates and I have once again felt that balance in times of need which has been so good for me.
Namita Nayyar:
You scored the first franchise win for Toronto with a shorthanded goal and also became the first player to ever invoke the PWHL’s “jailbreak” rule. Take us through that moment—did you realize the historical significance of it immediately, or only after the game?
Emma Maltais:
It’s actually something I don’t think about often but it is pretty cool to realize I was the first! I think it is very telling for my style of play and it is really cool considering such a unique rule to have this moment! I guess I won’t realize the historical significance until I’m done playing!
Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
