Former Dallas Stars forward Manny Malhotra is reportedly drawing increased attention for future NHL coaching opportunities as his name continues to circulate in league conversations.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman recently referenced Malhotra as part of a group of rising coaching candidates during an appearance on the DMase, Vingan & Daunic, saying: “the up-and-coming guys, I would say… Manny Malhotra; and another guy… Misha Donskov.”

Malhotra has been steadily building his coaching résumé since retiring as a player. He is currently involved in coaching development roles in the Vancouver Canucks organization and has worked his way through the AHL coaching pipeline in recent years.

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As a player, Malhotra was drafted seventh overall in the 1998 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers and over his NHL career, he played 991 games and recording 116 goals and 179 assists for 295 points.

His tenure with the Dallas Stars came early in his career, where he appeared in 84 games over three seasons and registered 11 points. Known more for his defensive reliability than scoring, Malhotra developed a reputation as a strong faceoff specialist and penalty killer, traits that have translated into his coaching path today.

As his coaching profile continues to grow, Malhotra is increasingly viewed as part of a younger wave of former players transitioning into potential NHL bench leadership roles.

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