The Blues made 10 changes to their list prior to the 2014 season, bringing in Dale Thomas, Andrejs Everitt and Sam Docherty to boost their stocks.
Malthouse said he couldn’t see the same list turnover at the end of this season.
"I wouldn't see us going that deep, no," Malthouse said on Friday morning.
"Sometimes we need to move the players from underneath to keep raising the standard. It's an elite industry we're in and unfortunately there are going to be 'victims'.
"To raise the standard, sometimes you have to be reasonably harsh. But you also have to be exact in your science and not just cut players willy-nilly because it sounds good."
The coach’s words come as incoming president Mark LoGiudice backed Malthouse to continue at the helm of the club, revealing he is set to initiate talks to extend Malthouse's three-year tenure beyond 2015.
Malthouse said the Blues were "on the right track" as they sought to re-establish themselves as a top-four side.
"He wants us, as a football club, to reclaim some identity," Malthouse said of LoGuidice's vision.
"I know we're on the right track.
"The playing group will change a little bit over this year but I think the standard from last year has been risen by the players we've brought into the football club.
"We'll do that again. The fundamentals are that we're all on the same track."
The 4-8 Blues travel to Sydney to take on Greater Western Sydney on Sunday at Spotless Stadium.
The Blues have gone winless over the past three weeks, with close losses to the Brisbane Lions, Geelong and Hawthorn.
Malthouse, though, sees many positives in the Blues' commitment to the cause.
"I think we're playing as good a football as we've played in the last 18 months, but yet we haven't won games," he said.
"We're comfortable that the side we're trying to put out there is one that is growing."
The final call on the availability of Michael Jamison and Lachie Henderson will be made after training on Friday morning.
Mitch Robinson was part of the rehab group that included injured players Matthew Kreuzer and Patrick Cripps, who were working away from the main training session.
Twitter: @AFL_BenGuthrie
