The NHL head coaching cycle is in full swing. The season isn’t over yet, and teams are already making big changes, from the Vegas Golden Knights hiring John Tortorella to the New York Islanders bringing in Pete DeBoer. And things are just heating up. The offseason is sure to bring another round of changes.
For rebuilding teams, a name that stands out is Manny Malhotra, the head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks, the American Hockey League affiliate for Vancouver. The Canucks, who are having a disastrous season, presumably would be interested and wouldn’t want to lose an up-and-coming head coach who is literally in their backyard. Likewise, the Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and even the Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, and Winnipeg Jets would be interested if they are entering rebuilds.
The AHL has produced many great NHL coaches, including the two longest tenured in the league right now (Jon Cooper and Jared Bednar). So, Malhotra fits right in. The question is whether he’s built to coach in the NHL and how teams will weigh the pros and cons of hiring him.
Malhotra’s Resume
Malhotra has checked off a lot of boxes for NHL teams, from an assistant coach to a development coach. He was an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs for four years and the Canucks for three before that, before he returned to the Canucks in the 2024 offseason to coach the AHL team. Malhotra also checks the boxes as a player’s coach who can also hold players accountable.
His versatility as a coach was on display in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Canucks always found a way to pivot to defeat their opponents. Whether it was playing fast and matching the skill of the Colorado Eagles or playing a slow and physical game against the Charlotte Checkers, Malhotra had the team prepared. On top of that, the Canucks understood the situations within games, something that was noticeable in Game 6 of the Final as they chipped and checked their way to closing out the victory and the title.
Malhotra is also in the ideal spot in his career for a rebuilding team. He’s 45 and understands players better than most, especially younger players who are still learning the pro game. His son Caleb is a projected top 10 pick who, ironically, can be a draft pick of a team interested in hiring him. Unlike his son, who is a star in the making, Malhotra built up his coaching career by fighting for a spot in the NHL.
Malhotra spent 16 years in the NHL as a middle-six center and was forced to play multiple roles. That career taught him how to be a great coach. He understands multiple positions because he’s played them all, and NHL teams will take note.
Is This Season Viewed as a Roadblock?
The Canucks won the Calder Cup last season, highlighting Malhotra’s abilities behind the bench. Then they became one of the worst teams in the AHL this season. They have the worst record in the Pacific Division and the worst points percentage in the league. The Canucks have been a complete disaster from the top down.
For many teams, this mess of a season won’t be an issue when considering Malhotra. The terrible season isn’t a knock on him since a lot went wrong that was out of his control. The Canucks, for one, traded Arturs Silovs in the offseason, and the NHL team was forced to call up most of the prospects as part of the rebuild.
Oddly, this season helps Mahotra out as he’ll be on the same timeline as most candidates in the head coaching cycle. Many great AHL coaches aren’t available for an NHL team because they are still coaching in late May or early June. The Canucks season ends in a few weeks, and Malhotra is available for any team to hire him.
That said, some teams will look at this season as a red flag. Sure, the mess wasn’t his fault but it shows that he can’t fix anything. There’s a good chance Malhotra is hired by a rebuilding team with minimal working in their favor, and he won’t turn it around. Malhotra can take a good roster and make it great but most rebuilding teams won’t have that type of roster.
The Other Obstacles Malhotra Might Face
The question every team will ask is whether they are willing to take the risk of hiring Malhotra. He will be a first-time NHL head coach, and while he has experience at the NHL level, he’s never been a head coach at that level.
The other obstacle is that Malhotra is still young and inexperienced. He’s 45 and only has two seasons of head coaching experience. The Maple Leafs, for example, have a lot of pressure to get the next hire right and would be taking a big risk by moving on from the experienced Craig Berube to the young Malhotra.
There’s a good chance that someone will hire an AHL coach this season. There are plenty of big names to choose from. The question is whether Malhotra is one of them.