Caleb Malhotra said he's most proud of his dad, Manny Malhotra, for getting the Vancouver Canucks' coaching job. The big drama surrounding the prospect will come on draft day, but he's his own guy, wherever he goes.
LAS VEGAS – It's been a busy few weeks for the Malhotra clan, and it's only going to get busier from here.
Manny Malhotra was just announced as the new coach of the Vancouver Canucks, while son Caleb is now going through that last grind before the 2026 NHL draft, where he is the top-ranked center available.
Sure, the draft combine can be a drain with all the physical tests and interviews, but now Malhotra is enjoying the perks of being a top prospect as he was invited to the Stanley Cup final in Vegas, where he and a handful of other big names took in practice and got to chat with NHLers.
Because of Manny, however, Caleb was the only one that people such as Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour remembered from when he was a little kid, hanging out with his dad when Manny played for the Hurricanes back in the day. And the pros congratulated him on his dad's new position.
"I'm the most proud of him in the world," Malhotra said. "So when I hear people that I respect and he respects saying congratulations, it means a lot."
But make no mistake: Caleb is his own guy.
"He's a franchise No. 1 center," said one scout. "He has fit in on a good team, and when Jake O'Brien (SEA) was out, Malhotra was a driver on an excellent major junior team. He's a 200-foot player, but he also has the grit and edge – borderline meanness. Teams were trying to bully him, and he gave it back. He's built for the heavy hockey you play in the playoffs."
Malhotra was a star on the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs, the best team in the league during the regular season. He finished second in team scoring to O'Brien, then led Brantford in post-season production with 26 points in 15 games. But the Bulldogs were upset in the conference final by Barrie, ending what had been a championship dream.
Still, the young pivot looks back on the year positively.
"A lot of fond memories," Malhotra said. "That team was super close – we all loved each other. We had such a successful team and obviously didn't go as far and do what we intended to do at the start of the season, but there was so much growth in our group. It was just cool to be in that atmosphere and learn from those guys."
Next year, he's heading to Boston University, where he'll join another top center in the 2026 draft, Tynan Lawrence. The pair had a chance to chop it up at the combine, and Lawrence told Malhotra about his experience this season with the Terriers. Committing to BU came down to the program's reputation.
"It's all the guys they've produced and the talent they've brought up – their coaching staff is unbelievable," Malhotra said. "Hearing from the guys who have gone there about how much trust they put in them, you only hear good things."
Of course, the big drama surrounding Malhotra will come on draft day. He definitely has the talent to be a top-10 pick, but with Vancouver in need of help down the middle, some have floated the idea of him going third overall to the Canucks. In that scenario, he could one day play for his dad in the NHL. Needless to say, the idea has come up between the two.
"It would be pretty cool," Malhotra said. "We'd be professional about it, we're very clinical in our house. He's Dad first and foremost and at the rink he'll be my coach. If I had the privilege of playing for Vancouver, I wouldn't have an issue with that."
Based on his skill set and potential, Malhotra is going to be one to watch in the coming years. Will that be in Vancouver? We'll just have to wait until the draft hits Buffalo at the end of the month to find out.
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