Vancouver Canucks name Manny Malhotra as 23rd head coach in franchise history

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The Vancouver Canucks have hired Manny Malhotra as the 23rd head coach in franchise history.

General manager Ryan Johnson made the announcement Monday.

“Manny and I have been in the battle together before, so I know firsthand what a good teacher, leader, and quality person he is,” said Johnson in a news release. “Connection, consistency and putting in place the proper foundation will be key for our group moving forward. Manny is a great coach who has the right skillset and mentality to help players develop and get better each day. We both believe that pressure is a privilege, and learning to become a good pro takes patience, dedication, and a ‘be better than yesterday’ mindset. He loves the game and getting to know what makes his players tick and I am very confident Manny will help us ice a competitive and hard-working team that our fans will be proud of moving forward.”

Malhotra joins Vancouver after serving as the head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks for the past two seasons, stated the release. During his time with Abbotsford, the team posted a record of 72-61-6-5, which included a franchise-best 44 wins and 92 points in 2024-25, en route to the franchise’s first Calder Cup championship. He also oversaw the development of many Canucks prospects that contributed to the NHL club this season, including forwards Max Sasson, Aatu Räty, and Linus Karlsson, as well as defencemen Victor Mancini and Elias Pettersson, among others.

Prior to his arrival in Abbotsford, Malhotra spent four seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, serving as an assistant coach.

Malhotra began his coaching career in 2016-17 as a development coach for Vancouver, before being named an assistant coach from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

Before his coaching career, the Mississauga, Ont. native spent parts of 16 seasons in the NHL after being selected seventh overall by the New York Rangers in the 1998 NHL entry draft. He skated in 991 games for seven teams, recording 295 points (116-179-295) and 451 penalty minutes. He also appeared in 35 career Stanley Cup playoff games, scoring two goals. Malhotra spent three seasons in Vancouver during his playing career, registering 48 points (18-30-48) and 36 penalty minutes across 159 games, while also playing in 11 playoff games, helping the Canucks reach the Stanley Cup final in 2010-11.

The Canucks have the third overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft, and Malhotra’s son Caleb is considered a top prospect.