Caleb Malhotra could be drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
With the Vancouver Canucks picking third overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, a lot of the focus in the market has shifted to Brantford Bulldogs center Caleb Malhotra. The 17-year-old center has shot up draft boards this year, and is a player the Canucks reportedly have interest in this year. Malhotra, who models his game after Aleksander Barkov, would be an intriguing pick as he has the potential to develop into a top-six center.
On Friday, TSN released an interview with Malhotra. During the seven-minute segment, Mark Masters asked a variety of questions, with a handful of them about the Canucks. At the start, Malhotra was asked about the possibility of being drafted by Vancouver.
"Obviously, I have thought about it," said Malhotra. "It would be really cool to just kinda go. Growing up in Vancouver, going back home would be really cool. That's the team I have cheered for most of my life. Obviously, my dad being part of that organization, it would be interesting. It's a weird feeling, but pretty cool though. I mean, there is a long way to go, so we will see what happens on draft night."
There is a layer of complexity here, as Caleb is the son of Manny Malhotra, the current head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks. With speculation that Manny could soon be promoted to Vancouver, there is a good chance he would be Caleb's coach one day. When asked about this potential situation, Caleb explained that the father-son dynamic should not be an issue.
"I don't know, to be honest with you. I haven't had him coach me since I was probably 12 years old. Taking orders from your dad as the coach is different than taking orders from a coach. Obviously, I would be fine, and I could adjust, but it would be different. I don't know if it really happened before where someone was being coached by their dad. I don't know what will happen. If that does happen, it will be pretty cool, pretty weird though."
A player's draft year is very complicated, especially for top prospects like Malhotra. Not only are they judged by their on-ice production, but have to meet with scouts and NHL teams throughout the season. According to Malhotra, his dad has been a great resource this year, as he has provided plenty of advice throughout the process.
"Just taking it one day at a time. Basic advice that really helps. Just taking it one day, one shift, one rep. Narrowing everything to specific parts of my day. And that really helped me not get too big-picture and be able to focus on my day-to-day and each game, how I wanted to perform. It really helped me throughout this year to not get overwhelmed or anything.
Caleb Malhotra at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge (Photo Credit: Erica Perreaux/CHL)Near the end of the interview, Malhotra was asked about growing up in the Canucks locker room. His dad played for Vancouver from 2010-13, which meant he was around the organization during some of its most successful seasons. Even though Malhotra would have been very young, as he was born in 2008, he still remembers hanging out with some future Hall of Famers.
"There's a lot of different moments. When I was a lot younger, when he played for the Canucks, I just remember being in that dressing room after games and stuff. And seeing all the players and thinking it was so cool that it felt normal being around the Sedin twins and Roberto Luongo and all those guys. It was a pretty special thing looking back now. Very few kids got to have that experience and even remember it. That is probably one of the things I can remember.
If drafted, Malhotra could develop into a foundational piece for the team. He dominated in the OHL this year with 84 points in 67 games and showed he can step up in pressure situations, finishing the playoffs with 26 points in 15 games. Regardless of where he is drafted, Malhotra has the potential to be a solid NHLer for years to come.
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