Thursday's Matchup Against The Hurricanes Will Feature A Reunion For Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra

Thursday's game between the Vancouver Canucks and Carolina Hurricanes will feature a reunion for Manny Malhotra. Back in 2013, the now-Canucks bench boss signed with the Hurricanes, where he played 69 games. The General Manager who signed him at the time was Jim Rutherford, while Rod Brind'Amour served as the team's Assistant Coach. 

Even though it's been a decade since Malhotra played for Carolina, one player remains on the roster. That player is current captain Jordan Staal, who was just 25 at the time. Before Thursday's game, Malhotra was asked about Staal, who captained the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup last year. 

"When you talk about professionalism and doing it the right way, that's really what he embodies," said Malhotra at morning skate on Thursday. "The one thing I love about him, he hasn't changed his game. Not saying this disrespectfully, but there is not a lot of flash to his game. He grinds, and he gets to the net. He's in battles. He wins key faceoffs. He does everything that you ask him. That's exactly what a leader is."  

With both being centers, it is not surprising that Malhotra and Staal did not spend much time on the ice together. According to Natural Stat Trick, the two logged just 10:15 together at five-on-five during the 2013-14 campaign. Malhotra and Staal also featured a little bit on the penalty kill together, logging a total of 4:58. 

Vancouver kicks off a six-game road trip on Thursday in Carolina against the Hurricanes. Last year, Carolina swept the season series, picking up wins in both matchups. Game time is set for 4:00 pm PT. 

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