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The Malhotras wouldn’t be the first father-coaching-son duo in NHL history | Wagner’s Weekly

Daniel Wagner — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 16:00:05 GMT

There’s a distinct possibility that two Malhotras will join the Vancouver Canucks organization in the space of one month.

On Monday, the Canucks named Manny Malhotra their head coach, Ryan Johnson’s first hire as general manager. In a few weeks, Johnson could make Manny’s son, Caleb Malhotra, his first draft pick.

To be clear, that’s far from a sure thing. The Canucks’ final draft list could change after the NHL Combine, and who the Canucks pick third overall could depend heavily on what the Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks do with the first- and second-overall picks.

But the scuttlebutt around the Canucks is that they are very high on Caleb Malhotra, to the point that it needed to be a topic of conversation when Johnson was interviewing his father.

“I wanted to make sure we weren’t sitting there June 20, and Manny was saying, ‘I wish I’d really known that there was more clarity and that this was a scenario,’” said Johnson about the possibility of drafting Caleb. “I wanted to make sure he had time to talk with his wife and his family, understanding that this would be a possible scenario.”

“There’s a decision by my kids if they want to talk to Dad or Coach”

The elder Malhotra took a balanced approach to the question of coaching his son.

“It was a part of the conversations that we had prior to the hiring process,” said Manny. “I fully understand the story there, and I understand the positives and negatives of it. But with so many things, I’ve learned it’s a bit of a fool’s errand to plan out things that haven’t quite happened yet. If that situation were to happen, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

“But we’ve had a very clear understanding in my household that first and foremost, I am Dad, who also happens to be a professional hockey coach. So, when we are talking about hockey, there’s a decision by my kids if they want to talk to Dad or Coach. So, we will continue to have that rule in my house, and it’s served us well as a family.”

Manny added that when Caleb wants to talk hockey with him, he almost always wants to talk to Coach.

Caleb, for his part, noted that he hasn’t had his father as a coach since he was 12 years old in minor hockey on a spring team, but he seemed reservedly enthusiastic about the possibility.

“We’d be pretty professional about it,” said Caleb. “It would be obviously cool and very special — not a lot of people get to say that.”

The truth is, a few people do get to say that. If Caleb ends up playing for Manny, it won’t be the first time a son has played for his father in the NHL.

Lester Patrick – Lynn and Muzz Patrick

The first father to coach his sons in the NHL has a Canucks connection.

The legendary Lester Patrick co-founded the Pacific Coast Hockey Association with his brother, Frank, and father, Joe. While he managed and played for the Victoria Aristocrats in that league rather than the Vancouver Millionaires, he eventually made his way to Vancouver and served as GM and head coach of the pre-NHL Canucks for two years in the twenties and four seasons in the fifties.

In between, Patrick was the GM of the New York Rangers from 1928 to 1946, also serving as head coach from 1928 to 1939. Heck, he even served as goaltender once, stepping off the bench and into the net during Game 2 of the 1928 Stanley Cup Final at the age of 44 when starting goaltender Lorne Chabot suffered an eye injury and the team had no backup. Patrick made 18 saves on 19 shots to secure the overtime win, and the Rangers went on to win their first-ever Stanley Cup.

Patrick had two sons: Lynn Patrick and Murray “Muzz” Patrick. Both played in the NHL, and both played for the Rangers while their father was head coach. Lynn played five seasons for his father, while Muzz played one before his father stepped down as head coach in 1939, ceding the bench to Frank Boucher while remaining GM and assistant coach.

It was evidently the right choice, as the Patricks and the Rangers went on to win the 1940 Stanley Cup.

Punch Imlach – Brent Imlach

Punch Imlach was nearly the Canucks’ first-ever GM. Imlach owned shares in the WHL Canucks and was good friends with Joe Crozier, who was then the head coach and GM of the Canucks. Crozier was anticipating continuing in at least one of those roles when the Canucks joined the NHL, and it was thought Imlach would join him.

In fact, Crozier had secretly already hired Imlach as a scout and personnel consultant. More than that, he had already registered Imlach with the NHL as authorized to make deals and transfers for the Canucks without telling anyone else in the Canucks’ organization.

When Imlach was instead named the head coach and GM of the Canucks’ expansion cousins, the Buffalo Sabres, the NHL notified the Canucks’ new owners, Medicor, of Imlach’s secret role. This went over poorly, and Crozier was soon out as well.

But before all that, Imlach was GM and head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1958 to 1969. And, in that time, Punch’s son, Brent Imlach, played his only three games in the NHL, all with the Leafs, with himself as his son’s head coach.

It wasn’t easy.

“I didn’t want to play because everybody was going to think the only reason I was on the team was because of my dad,” said Brent. “Even I wondered if I was there as a spy. It bothered me. But I wasn’t going to let my dad down when they called me up. You might have wished for different circumstances. But now, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Brent very nearly played for his dad again. In 1970, he rejected a contract offer from the Leafs that he felt didn’t pay enough, and his signing rights were traded to Punch’s Buffalo Sabres. But Brent never played another game in the NHL. Instead, he did what his dad never did: he became the GM of Vancouver.

No, not the Canucks; Brent Imlach was GM of the Vancouver Canadians from 1989 to 1997. In 1993, he was named the Pacific Coast League Executive of the Year.

Sid Abel – Gerry Abel

Sid Abel is one of the all-time greatest players in NHL history. He was a force for the Detroit Red Wings with Ted Lindsay and Gordie Howe — the famed Production Line.

Abel won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, was twice a first-team All-Star, twice a second-team All-Star, and won the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player in 1949.

That’s a tough legacy for any son to live up to. Gerry Abel didn’t stand a chance.

Still, Gerry made it to the NHL, even if it was just for one game on March 8, 1967. That one game happened to be with the Red Wings under his father, who coached the Red Wings from 1957 to 1968.

When his dad, who also became the GM of the Red Wings in 1962, signed him to his first NHL contract, Gerry reportedly said, “If I could be half as good as my dad, I’d be happy.”

Making it even more surreal, Gerry Abel played his one game on a line with his dad’s old linemate, Gordie Howe.

While Sid Abel retired after 612 games in the NHL and moved on to coaching, Howe kept on playing, finishing with 1,767 games in the NHL and 419 in the WHA. Sid was his head coach in Detroit for 12 seasons and his linemate for six seasons before that, giving him 18 seasons with the senior Abel; he played just one game with the younger.

Howe never coached his sons in the NHL, but he did play with them. He spent several seasons with his sons, Mark and Marty Howe, on the Houston Aeros of the WHA, then one more season in the NHL with them on the Hartford Whalers in 1979-80, though Marty played just six NHL games that season.

Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion – Danny Geoffrion

Yet another Hall-of-Famer got the chance to coach his son in the NHL.

While Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion may not have invented the slap shot, he certainly popularized it in the NHL, and his booming shot gave him his nickname. He followed in the footsteps of his teammate Maurice Richard and became the second player in NHL history to score 50 goals.

He won six Stanley Cups, the Calder as the league’s top rookie, two Art Ross Trophies, and one Hart Trophy before he retired and transitioned to coaching.

Stomach ulcers ended his first NHL coaching stint with the New York Rangers, limiting him to just 43 games before he resigned. He was then the first head coach of the expansion Atlanta Flames for two and a half seasons before health forced him to step down.

What he wanted most of all, however, was to coach the Montreal Canadiens. He got his chance in 1979, but he lasted just 30 games before he was once again forced to step away from the bench due to his health.

Those games happened to overlap with 19 of the 32 games his son, Danny Geoffrion, played for the Canadiens that season.

One can only imagine the pressure of playing not only for a legendary franchise in the Canadiens, but as the son of a legendary Canadien, while said legend was standing behind the bench. To add to the pressure, Danny Geoffrion was a high draft pick, selected eighth overall by the Canadiens in the 1978 draft.

It didn’t pan out for the younger Geoffrion. He didn’t tally a single goal in his 32 games with Montreal, and Geoffrion was released by Les Habitants and picked up by the Quebec Nordiques, with whom he had played one season in the WHA. They traded Geoffrion to the Winnipeg Jets, where he had a decent year, scoring 20 goals and 46 points in 78 games in the 1980-81 season.

But Geoffrion played just one more game for the Jets after that, then he was out of the NHL.

Geoffrion later co-wrote a book about four generations of his family who played for the Canadiens: his grandfather, Howie Morenz; his father; himself; and his son, Blake Geoffrion.

Bill Dineen – Kevin Dineen

Bill Dineen is the first of these father-coaches who didn’t end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame, though he was inducted into the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame for his work as a coach.

Before that, Bill Dineen had a long career as a player, albeit mostly in the minor leagues. He spent five seasons in the NHL before many years in the AHL and WHL, facing off against the WHL Canucks while with the Seattle Totems and Denver Spurs.

Dineen spent seven years as a head coach in the WHA, then another seven years as a head coach in the AHL before he got his first shot at coaching in the NHL.

Three of Dineen’s five sons went on to play in the NHL: Gord, Peter, and Kevin. Kevin was the best of the three, putting up 355 goals and 760 points in 1,188 career games in the NHL.

On November 13, 1991, the Philadelphia Flyers traded future-Canuck Murray Craven and a fourth-round pick to the Hartford Whalers for Kevin Dineen. About a month later, the Flyers fired their head coach, Paul Holmgren, and hired Kevin’s dad, Bill Dineen, making the 59-year-old the oldest rookie head coach in NHL history at the time, a record that has since been broken and is now held by Bob Murray.

Bill coached Kevin that season and just one more after. Bill was fired after the 1992-93 season, while Kevin played parts of three more seasons with the Flyers.

Kevin Dineen went on to a coaching career himself, including three seasons as head coach of the Florida Panthers. He has yet to coach his own son, Will Dineen, in the NHL, but there’s still time: Will is just 25 and playing in the AHL.

Dave Lowry – Adam Lowry

Dave Lowry was a sixth-round pick of the Canucks in the 1983 NHL Draft after putting up just 27 points in 42 games for the London Knights in his draft year. He made the Canucks look like geniuses when he broke out in a big way the next two seasons, culminating in 60 goals and 120 points in 61 games in his draft+2 year.

The scoring didn’t translate immediately to the NHL, unfortunately. Lowry lasted three seasons with the Canucks, with the third season mostly spent in the AHL, after which the Canucks traded him to the St. Louis Blues for Ernie Vargas.

Lowry found his game in St. Louis, leading to a 1,084-game career in the NHL. Vargas never played a single NHL game.

After retiring, Lowry stepped behind the bench, primarily as an assistant coach at the NHL level. In 2020, he joined Paul Maurice’s staff with the Winnipeg Jets, where his son, Adam Lowry, had already been playing for six seasons.

“It’s nice coming to the rink knowing that he’s there, knowing that we get to work together, and we get to chase the Stanley Cup,” said Adam about playing for his dad.

Dave Lowry was just meant to be an assistant, but when Paul Maurice suddenly resigned as head coach partway through the 2021-22 season, Lowry was called upon to be the interim head coach. So far, it’s Lowry’s only experience as a head coach in the NHL, and it was all with his son on the team.

Rod Brind’Amour – Skyler Brind’Amour

With the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final, it’s fitting that they’re the home of the final father/son duo on this list.

Rod Brind’Amour has a case to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He put up 452 goals and 1,184 points in 1,484 career games in the NHL, won the Stanley Cup in 2006, and twice won the Selke Award as the NHL’s best defensive forward.

He’s added to his accolades as a head coach, winning the Jack Adams Award in 2021, and now he’s looking for his first Stanley Cup as a coach after eight seasons behind the bench with the Hurricanes.

Rod’s son, Skyler Brind’Amour, has a bit of a B.C. connection, as he played two seasons in the BCHL with the Chilliwack Chiefs before heading to the NCAA. Eventually, after four years with Quinnipiac University, he was signed to an AHL deal by the Charlotte Checkers, where he caught the eye of Hurricanes’ GM Eric Tulsky.

Was there perhaps some nepotism involved? Who’s to say? But Skyler Brind’Amour has earned his call-ups to the NHL with solid two-way play, and the 26-year-old forward has played six NHL games so far with his father, Rod, as head coach.

No Sutters?

With all of the many Sutters who have played in the NHL, it’s actually somewhat surprising that no Sutter sons were coached by their fathers.

The closest was when Brett Sutter played for his uncle, Brent Sutter, for 14 games with the Calgary Flames. It was a real family affair, as Brett’s dad, Darryl Sutter, was the GM of the Flames at the time.

It’s fair to say that Brett didn’t get any special treatment: Darryl traded his son to the Carolina Hurricanes about a month into the 2010-11 season.

Brett was nearly reunited with his dad several seasons later, when he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 2016. Darryl was the head coach of the Kings at the time, but Brett never got the call-up from the AHL, where he spent the rest of his career.

Brett Sutter wound up playing 1,090 AHL games to go with his 60 NHL games, one of just a handful of players to reach over 1,000 career AHL games.

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9 prospects the Canucks reportedly met with at the draft combine

Tyson Cole — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 14:00:49 GMT

The scouting combine has come and gone, and the next thing on the agenda for the Vancouver Canucks is the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26.

According to The Athletic’s Thomas Drance, who was boots on the ground in Buffalo for the combine, Canucks brass met with at least nine prospects the organization is considering selecting with its late first- and two second-round picks (24th, 33rd, or 41st overall). Drance spoke with each of the nine prospects. To read his conversation with each of them, click here!

Here are the nine prospects the Canucks reportedly met with this week in Buffalo:

Ryan Lin

Lin is a 5’11”, 178-lb right-shot defenceman. The Richmond, BC native played for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL this season. With the Giants, he scored 14 goals and 43 assists for 57 points in 53 games. Lin played for Canada’s U18 team at the World Junior Championship after the season, adding a goal and six points in five games. It would be a surprise if Lin is still on the board for the Canucks at pick 24.

In Daily Faceoff’s May Top 100 rankings, Lin was ranked 12th.

Alexander Command

Command is a 6′, 186-lb left-shot centreman. The Danderyd, Sweden native mostly played for Örebro HK at the U20 Nationell. There, he scored 17 goals and 27 assists for 44 points in 30 games, and added five goals and eight assists for 13 points in 14 postseason games. His efforts were recognized by Örebro HK’s big club, earning him six SHL games, during which he was held without a point. Command has shot up the draft rankings over the last few months and is not likely to be there for the Canucks with their second first-round pick.

In Daily Faceoff’s May Top 100 rankings, Command was ranked 13th.

Mathis Preston

Preston is a 5’11”, 176-lb right-shot centreman/winger. The Penticton, BC native started the season with the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL before a mid-season trade saw him go to the Vancouver Giants. With the Chiefs, Preston scored 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points in 36 games. He dealt with an injury that limited him to just 10 games with the Giants, where he collected four goals and eight assists for 12 points, bringing his full-season total to 18 goals and 44 points. Preston was ranked in the top-10 coming into the season, but has fallen closer to the Canucks’ range at 24.

In Daily Faceoff’s May Top 100 rankings, Preston was ranked 22nd.

Tommy Bleyl

Bleyl is a 6′, 165-lb right-shot defenceman. The Schenectady, New York native jumped from the USHL to the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats for his draft season. With the Wildcats, Bleyl scored 13 goals and 68 assists for 81 points in 63 games. The offensive defenceman continued to produce in the QMJHL playoffs, scoring six goals and 22 assists for 28 points in 21 games before barely coming up short against the Chicoutimi Saguenéens for a berth to the Memorial Cup. Bleyl should be around for the Canucks’ second first-round selection.

In Daily Faceoff’s May Top 100 rankings, Bleyl was ranked 27th.

Maddox Dagenais

Dagenais is a 6’4″, 196-lb left-shot centreman. The Montreal, Quebec native spent the year with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, scoring 30 goals and 32 assists for 62 points in 62 games. He added three goals and six points in 11 postseason games before getting swept by the Saguenéens. Dagenais is projected to go at the end of the first round, but as a centre with size, it wouldn’t come as a shock to see him go around the 24 range.

In Daily Faceoff’s May Top 100 rankings, Dagenais was ranked 28th.

Casey Mutryn

Mutryn is a 6’3″, 203-lb right-shot centre/winger. The Norwell, Massachusetts native spent the year with the USNTDP. He scored 18 goals and 28 assists for 46 points at the USNTDP, and added seven goals and 16 points in 25 games with the USNTDP Juniors in the USHL. After the season, Mutryn captained Team USA’s U18 World Junior Championship team, scoring two goals and five points in five tournament games.

Now we get into the likely second-round options for the Canucks. Mutryn shouldn’t have to wait long to hear his name called if he isn’t picked on Day 1. So, if the Canucks want him, they likely have to select him at 33, cause he may not be there for them at 41.

In Daily Faceoff’s May Top 100 rankings, Mutryn was ranked 35th.

Simas Ignatavicius

Ignatavicius is a 6’3″, 198-lb right-winger. The Lithuanian, born in Memphis, Tennessee, played 52 games for the Genève-Servette HC in the Swiss League, where he scored seven goals and six assists for 13 points. He added two goals and one assist for three points in 11 playoff games. Ignatavicius is right in the sweet spot between the two Canucks second-round picks.

In Daily Faceoff’s May Top 100 rankings, Ignatavicius was ranked 40th.

Jaxon Cover

Cover is a 6’2″, 183-lb right-winger. The Miami, Florida, native spent the season playing for the London Knights. In his first full season in the OHL, Cover scored 20 goals and 32 assists for 52 points in 67 games. He added two goals and an assist in five postseason games. Cover is one of the rawest prospects in the entire class, having only picked up ice hockey when he was 13 years old. Cover is more likely in the range for the Canucks’ second second-round pick.

In Daily Faceoff’s May Top 100 rankings, Cover was ranked 57th.

Adam Andersson

Andersson is a 6’4″, 215-lb left-shot centreman. The Stockholm, Sweden native played with Leksands U20 Nationell team, where he scored three goals and 14 assists for 17 points in 30 games. He represented his country at the U18 World Junior Championships after the season, where he scored one goal and four points in seven games en route to a Gold Medal. Andersson is the lowest-ranked prospect of the nine the Canucks took out, but due to his rigid style and big frame, he could go higher than anticipated.

In Daily Faceoff’s May Top 100 rankings, Andersson was ranked 59th.

All measurements are courtesy of NHL.com’s prospect rankings.

What do you think, Canucks fans? Which of these prospects would you be happiest to see the Canucks select at the 2026 NHL Draft? Let us know in the comments below!

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Dhaliwal: Canucks to meet with both Ruck brothers at NHL combine

Scott Maxwell — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 22:59:59 GMT

The main topic of conversation surrounding the 2026 NHL Entry Draft and the Vancouver Canucks has been what they may do with their third-overall pick. However, they also the Minnesota Wild’s pick in the late first-round, along with the first pick of the second round. In that range, twin brothers from Osoyoos, BC, Liam and Markus Ruck, are expected to hear their names called. And there’s some word that the Canucks are showing a bit of interest in the twins.

Donnie & Dhali’s Rick Dhaliwal joined Halford and Brough in the Morning on Friday to talk about what the Canucks are doing at the draft combine, and had a little nugget on the Canucks’ interest in the Ruck twins.

“The Canucks had separate meetings with the Ruck brothers today [Friday] in Buffalo. One of the Rucks has met with 25 teams. The other Ruck’s met with about 20. The Canucks will talk to both Ruck brothers separately today, not together.

“There is going to be an attempt to get both these guys drafted by the same team. I don’t know if it happens. There’s a gap between the Ruck brothers. One is early 20s and one is either late teens or early 30s. So I don’t know how they’re going to do it, but there is a push to get them drafted by the same team.

“Anyways, all I know is the Canucks are meeting with them today and there’s going to be a push to try to get them.”

The twins form a forward duo – Liam the winger and Markus the centre – that has impressed many scouts with their chemistry together and how well they played for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League. Markus led the league in scoring with 21 goals and 87 assists for 108 points, while Liam was second with 45 goals and 59 assists for 104 points. Markus’ 87 assists also led the entire WHL by 21 assists.

Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis had Liam projected to go 16th in his most recent prospect rankings, while Markus went 24th. The Canucks currently hold the 24th pick, so drafting Markus is certainly on the table, but then they don’t pick again until 33rd overall in the second round. Vancouver will either need to trade up in the draft or hope other teams don’t go after one brother in order to pull off drafting both brothers.

It wouldn’t be the first time the Canucks have made several moves at the draft to secure a set of twins, as they did the same to draft Daniel and Henrik Sedin with the second and third overall picks of the 1999 Draft. It may not be a coincidence that the Canucks are looking to make a similar move after recently promoting the Sedin twins to co-presidents.

Will Manny Malhotra have the chance to coach playoff games as head coach of Vancouver Canucks?

Jeff Paterson — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 19:38:46 GMT

Manny Malhotra was hired on Monday and officially introduced on Thursday, and by his first weekend as the new head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, the question is being asked: will Malhotra reach a point where he coaches playoff games with the rebuilding hockey club? Welcome to life in a hockey-mad Canadian market.

The notion was floated as a poll question on Friday’s Sekeres and Price show. It arose after Malhotra himself acknowledged that he is prepared for his team to struggle in the early going of his tenure.

As the rebuild begins, will Manny Malhotra coach a playoff game as head coach of the Canucks?

— Sekeres and Price (@sekeresandprice) June 5, 2026

Let’s make it abundantly clear that there are absolutely no expectations on the new coach to guide the Canucks back to the postseason in his first year behind the bench. And as it stands now, a playoff berth two seasons from now feels like a long shot, too.

The Canucks have firmly stated their plans for an intentional rebuild, which means taking the necessary steps to assemble a competitive hockey club – with no shortcuts. But the harsh reality of the business is that head coaches are chewed up and spat out by struggling hockey teams at an alarming rate. The churn behind the bench is real, and it’s ugly.

So can Manny Malhotra do enough in his first two years on the job to earn a contract extension? That may be the more prudent question in this exercise. Coaches at this level rarely work into the final year of their contract without the security of an extension. If Malhotra is able to gain a second contract, then surely he will coach a playoff game with the Canucks. That’s not to say the rebuild will be officially over with a return to the postseason, but certainly by his third – and fourth – season, Malhotra will begin to feel the heat that all NHL head coaches experience. It’s a bottom-line business, and a time will come when Malhotra will be judged on more than his ability to instill better work habits, change the culture and develop young players. However, if he’s successful on those fronts, there is every reason to believe that the Canucks rebuild is heading in the right direction.

Of course, Malhotra is only one piece of the puzzle. He’s going to need new general manager Ryan Johnson, co-Presidents Daniel and Henrik Sedin and the scouting staff to excel in their jobs and provide him with a roster that ultimately can and will get the job done.

Next season is the honeymoon. The organization needs to establish a direction and find out which players on the current roster can be part of the solution here. The 2027-28 season will need to be one of significant growth. Whether improvement comes from within, from the addition of top prospects through the draft, and from whatever trades and free-agent signings the club makes over the next two summers, by the fall of 2027, the Canucks need to be showing signs of a team headed in the right direction.

With Malhotra as the guiding hand, the Canucks have to demonstrate an ability to play with structure. He wants his team to play an uptempo style, and every effort needs to be made to provide him with players who can set that pace. Under the new head coach, the Canucks have to adhere to analytics and deploy players in the right spots to give them the best chance for individual and collective success. While wins and losses won’t be the markers by which Malhotra is judged in the early going, there is still pressure on him to perform and to deliver his team to a place before too long where results will, indeed, matter.

If the Canucks aren’t much further ahead two years from now than they are at the moment, then all bets are off. That goes not only for Malhotra, but the entire new management regime.

These are early days, and Malhotra still has months before he steps behind the bench for the first time in his new role. He feels like a good fit for a young hockey club with nowhere to go but up. He proved he can get the job done in the American Hockey League and has earned the opportunity to prove he can do the same at the next level.

The next two seasons have to be a slow, steady climb so that by the third season, the Canucks are ready to take significant strides. The Montreal Canadiens, viewed by many in the industry as the model of a successful rebuild, missed the playoffs for three straight seasons before bowing out in the opening round a year ago. This season, they made it to the Eastern Conference Final and show no signs of fading anytime soon.

The Canucks lack the difference-makers the Habs have, so that’s a massive challenge. But the hope has to be that Malhota will get the best out of players like Zeev Buium, Tom Willander, Liam Ohgren, Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Braeden Cootes, and that top draft picks this year and again next will step in and accelerate the program.

No one knows how the story will go, but the Canucks are convinced that they are starting down a path that will lead to prosperity. The end goal isn’t just returning to the postseason, but building a championship contender. The club is clearly a long way from that at the moment.

However, with his extensive playing experience coupled with what he accomplished in two years in Abbotsford, Manny Malhotra has demonstrated an ability to deliver. And there are plenty of reasons to believe he’ll do the same as head coach of the Canucks. So to answer the initial question, yes, Malhotra will coach playoff games in Vancouver.

And the hope is that he’ll do a lot more than that.

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3 Canucks receive votes for Lady Byng Trophy

Tyson Cole — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 16:32:03 GMT

As the NHL continues to slowly announce their awards throughout the Stanley Cup Finals, a trio of Vancouver Canucks were listed on a few ballots of PHWA members for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

The Lady Byng Trophy is presented annually “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.” The Canucks’ three vote-getters ranked as the 12th-most-represented team for the award.

The Vegas Golden Knights, who are taking flak as one of the most hated teams in the league, led award voting with seven different players earning votes. The Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild – one of whom is former Canuck captain Quinn Hughes – each had six skaters receive votes. The Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings had five, while the Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, and Winnipeg Jets all had four.

All three of the Canucks to earn votes often wore a letter on their jersey this season:

Brock Boeser

Boeser received one first-place vote, one second-place vote, three third-place votes, five fourth-place votes, and five fifth-place votes for the Lady Byng (18th). The Burnsville, Minnesota native scored 22 goals and 26 assists for 48 points in 75 games this season. Boeser was a league-worst minus-48 this season, seven worse than the second-lowest plus-minus rating in Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Artyom Levshunov.

This is the second year Boeser has received votes for the Lady Byng in his 10-year NHL career. He finished 16th in 2023-24, earning two third-place votes, and seven fourth- and fifth-placed votes.

Elias Pettersson

Pettersson received just one vote; however, he found himself second on one voter’s ballot (47th). The Sundsvall, Sweden native scored just 15 goals and 36 assists for 51 points in 74 games this season, but was praised for his defensive play this year.

The 6’2″ Canucks centreman has received votes five times throughout his eight-year career. Pettersson finished 24th in 2018-19, 12th in 2019-20, 14th in 2021-22, and eighth in 2022-23. In 2023-24, Pettersson finished as the runner-up for this award, earning 13 first-place votes, 31 second-place votes, 21 third-place votes, and 14 fourth- and fifth-placed votes.

Filip Hronek

Like Pettersson, Hronek received just one vote for the award, earning a fourth-placed vote (64th). The Hradec Kralove, Czechia, native hit a career-high point total, finishing with eight goals and 41 assists for 49 points. Once Hughes was traded, Hronek stepped up as a leader on the backend, and the old regime were pushing for him to potentially succeed his former defence partner as the team’s next captain.

This is the only time Hronek has received votes for the Lady Byng.

Montreal Canadiens Cole Caufield won the award, earning 174 more votes than the second-highest, Anze Kopitar. To announce the award, the NHL pulled a little trick on Caufield and his teammate Nick Suzuki.

Before a team meeting, the NHL met with Suzuki and told him to announce the trophy to Caufield in the locker room. At the same time, they told Caufield to present the Frank J. Selke Award to Suzuki. Watch the full clip below!

TWICE AS NICE 🏆🏆 #NHLAwards

Nick Suzuki surprised Cole Caufield with the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy before Caufield surprised Suzuki with the Frank J. Selke Trophy. 😂

The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is awarded for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct and the Frank J.Selke… pic.twitter.com/3NY5pp2sRh

— NHL (@NHL) June 5, 2026

NHL prospect experts praise Canucks’ hire of Daren Hermiston

Tyson Cole — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 14:00:52 GMT

Ryan Johnson made his first front office hire since being appointed as the general manager of the Vancouver Canucks on Friday, when he announced former player agent Daren Hermiston as Director of Player Personnel and Player Development. And that hire came with some high praise from NHL prospect experts around the league.

EliteProspects Cam Robinson shared this message following the announcement:

“I’ve known Daren Hermiston for some time,” said Robinson. “And I can say without a moment’s hesitation that the Canucks have brought in an extremely bright, hard-working and talented person. He was a rising star in the agency game and will bring a lot of important skills from that side of the table. Tremendous hire.”

Shortly after, the Athletic’s Scott Wheeler chimed in with some kind words for Hermiston:

“Daren is one of the smartest people I know in hockey and this is a smart, smart hire by the Canucks,” Wheeler said. “One unique role I’d expect he plays in this position: Helping kids navigate the decision they have to make. Teams should have a dedicated person who helps players make tailored choices on next steps factoring in level, role, coach, opportunity, etc. A liaison with the team for agents, families and players with a feel for lower level and what’s out there.”

Wheeler’s Athletic colleague, James Mirtle, had a few words to say as well on the hire:

“Another agent joining a team’s staff,” Mirtle said. “Sharp hire by the Canucks.”

Hermiston has served as an NHLPA-certified agent since 2009, beginning his career with Points West Sports & Entertainment. That agency was later acquired by The•Team – formerly Wasserman Hockey.

While Hermiston’s list of clients wasn’t as prestigious as that of some of his The•Team co-workers, the agency has the third-highest total contract value in the NHL. Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Zach Werenski, Roman Josi, Evan Bouchard, Kyle Connor, Jordan Kyrou, Roope Hintz, Alex DeBrincat, Nick Suzuki, and Jaccob Slavin are just a few of the high-profile clients for The•Team. Even a few Canucks (Zeev Buium, Victor Mancini, and Arshdeep Bains) are with the agency, including two players traded from Vancouver this past season (Conor Garland and Kiefer Sherwood).

The Kamloops, BC, native will now join the Canucks front office with something in common with assistant general manager Émilie Castonguay: both former NHL player agents turned executives working in the Canucks organization. And with the high praise from Robinson, Wheeler, and Mirtle, Canucks fans should be excited for what’s to come.

Daily Faceoff projects Canucks to select Caleb Malhotra at 3, Ilia Morozov at 24 in latest 2026 NHL mock draft

Tyson Cole — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 22:40:56 GMT

Daily Faceoff draft expert Steven Ellis published his latest first-round mock draft for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft on Thursday and had the Vancouver Canucks selecting a pair of centres with their two first-round selections.

With Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg still on the board, Ellis had the Canucks taking Caleb Malhotra at third overall. Here is what Ellis had to say on his decision:

“I don’t like the idea of the team putting the pressure on the coach’s son. But scouts have said the same thing over and over again: the Canucks need a stout two-way center to kick off the rebuild. If they see him as the best player available, they’ll do this. Malhotra’s steady, smart play has helped him emerge as the No. 1 center for this draft. It’s not a great group down the middle, but Malhotra looks like a future top-six threat. He was a huge part of Brantford’s success this year, which included 13 goals and 26 points in just 15 playoff games. Malhotra battles hard at both ends, giving opponents little time to make quick, heads-up decisions with the puck. Will he have the natural play-driving ability to excel offensively in the NHL? We’ll see.”

Malhotra is a 6’2″, left-shot centreman out of the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs. The Toronto, Ontario, native jumped to the OHL from the BCHL last season and quickly emerged as one of the top centre prospects in the class. In 67 games with the Bulldogs this season, Malhotra scored 29 goals and 55 assists for 84 points. As the season went along, Malhotra’s play earned him more and more ice time. By the time the playoffs rolled around, he was skating on Brantford’s top line and produced like a top contributor on a team with 12 NHL-drafted players. He went on to score 13 goals and 26 points in just 15 games.

With their second first-round pick, Ellis has the Canucks selecting Ilia Morozov at 24 overall. Here is his write-up on Morozov:

“Morozov was the youngest player in college hockey, but you couldn’t tell with how often Miami relied on him this year. At 6-foot-3 and more than 200 pounds, he’s a big center who commands respect. He put up solid numbers on a team that didn’t have a ton of big-time firepower to work with. I also like his confidence and the way he’s always looking to make a pass, even through traffic. Morozov doesn’t have as much offensive upside as some others around this point. But his game away from the puck, mixed in with his overall power, intrigues me.”

Morozov is a 6’3″ left-shot centreman out of Miami of Ohio University in the NCAA. The Moskva, Russia native played with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL in his draft-minus-one season, scoring 11 goals and 22 points in 59 games. In his draft year, he made the jump to the NCAA level, where his production increased in a more difficult league, scoring 8 goals and 12 assists for 20 points in just 36 collegiate games.

Ellis’ following five picks after Morozov were left-shot defenceman William Håkansson, winger JP Hurlbert, centreman Jack Hextall, right-shot defenceman Tommy Bleyl, and 6’7″ centre Brooks Rogowski.

Canucks hire Daren Hermiston as Director of Player Personnel and Player Development

Tyson Cole — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 20:05:16 GMT

On Friday afternoon, Vancouver Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson announced the hiring of Daren Hermiston as Director of Player Personnel and Player Development.

General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the #Canucks have named Daren Hermiston Director of Player Personnel and Player Development.

DETAILS | https://t.co/zFNMi1npcQ pic.twitter.com/MLZsvJKxu6

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) June 5, 2026

Here is what Johnson had to say about the hire in the press release:

“Daren brings a wealth of hockey knowledge to our group, from so many different parts of the game,” said Johnson. “Not only were we impressed by his recruiting skills from being a player agent, but also his ability and understanding of how to help develop players who have different skillsets and abilities. He has also been involved in several sports business ventures as well, things that should translate well into his new role with the team. We are very excited to have Daren join our organization.”

Hermiston was a former NHL player agent for The•Team, formerly known as Wasserman Hockey. He had clients with NHL contracts, including Dallas Stars forward Christian Fitzgerald, Montreal Canadiens forward Tyler Thorpe, Colorado Avalanche forward TJ Hughes, Calgary Flames defenceman Abram Wiebe, Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Harrison Brunicke, and current Canucks forward Arshdeep Bains.

Before being promoted to assistant coach on Adam Foote’s bench last season, Scott Young served as the Canucks’ director of player personnel for three seasons. The role of director of player personnel involves scouting and talent evaluation, roster management, draft preparation, and player development.

Next on the agenda for Johnson will be to bring in another assistant general manager alongside him, joining Émilie Castonguay and Cammi Granato. Johnson was asked about the potential of hiring further to their analytics department:

“Those are discussions we’re having,” Johnson said. “I think we’ve got great leadership and a great director there in Aiden Fox, who is phenomenal. Now, I just want to say, ‘What more do you need? How do we build this out so that you feel that you’ve got [everything]? Is it more resources? Is it more people?’ But that’s something that, as a group, we have discussed, and we are fully prepared to do.”

Watch the full clip below:

Ryan Johnson on potentially adding to the Canucks analytics department. pic.twitter.com/syOTXI2QvA

— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) May 19, 2026

Canucks: Is Nils Höglander in ‘future considerations’ territory already?

Stephan Roget — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 18:01:31 GMT

The newly minted front office of the Vancouver Canucks, led by GM Ryan Johnson and co-POHOs Henrik and Daniel Sedin, has its work cut out for it this offseason. The rebuild won’t be completed in one summer, but it will continue, and each move they make will, according to all involved, move the team further in that direction.

As a result, most of the additions that the team makes this offseason will come via the Entry Draft. The Canucks are looking to get younger, and they’ve got four picks in the top-50.

Most, if not all, of the trades that the Canucks make this summer will be in the form of subtractions. As in, trading away some veteran players from the roster, so as to create more space for the new generation to take over the team.

We’ve talked plenty about the possibilities of the Canucks trading veterans like Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson, and even Filip Hronek. But there’s someone else potentially on the departing block who often gets forgotten about in these conversations, and that’s Nils Höglander.

It still feels a bit odd to refer to Höglander as a “veteran,” because in many ways, he still feels like a younger NHLer just figuring it out. But Höglander is 25, and just completed his sixth NHL season. Anyone about to enter Year 7 of their career is a veteran.

Some Vancouver fans might be hesitant to see Höglander moved, because the last time the team traded someone from that same 2019 draft class, they immediately blossomed with their new team. That was Vasily Podkolzin, who was selected 30 spots ahead of Höglander.

But the Podkolzin trade happened two years ago, which is a long time in the sport of hockey. Both players have aged considerably in the interim and have developed in exactly opposite directions. Podkolzin notched a career-high 19 goals and 37 points this past season with the Edmonton Oilers. Höglander had two goals and eight points for the Canucks.

There is some temptation to hang on to Höglander with one last hope for that long-awaited breakout. Or, perhaps, “breakout” isn’t the right term here, as Höglander has broken out before, including into a 24-goal campaign in 2023-24. What the Canucks have been waiting for Höglander to do is develop any consistency or reliability in his game, and that’s something that they might have reasonably run out of patience on.

The fact of the matter is that the Canucks are probably already going to have to move some older bodies out if they want to have all the ice time and opportunities available to their newer, younger forwards that a rebuilding team should.

There is still a chance Höglander finds himself as an NHL player. But at this point, it’s a bet with fairly long odds. And the Canucks, quite simply, have better bets to make. A Liam Öhgren is ready to take those extra minutes on now. Someone like Jonathan Lekkerimäki, four years younger than Höglander, would seem to have a better chance of making something of NHL minutes given in this upcoming season. Even less-heralded youngsters, like Ty Mueller, probably have more upside worth checking out than does Höglander at this point.

After all, how many NHL coaches had tried to unlock Höglander’s potential already?

It doesn’t even all come down to age. The newly-signed Ilya Safonov is also 25, but he’s yet to play in North America, and is thus a more unknown quantity than Höglander – and someone with a higher chance of ‘clicking’ as a result.

We’ve talked so much in recent years about where the Canucks are going to spend their limited dollars under the NHL salary cap. But ice-time is also an investment that a team can only make so much of in any given season. If Höglander sticks around next year, the primary cost to the Canucks will be in ice-time, and at this point, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which they’re not better off cutting ties now and holding that time for others.

So, where does that leave Höglander?

Most would agree that if the Canucks received even a modest positive trade offer for Höglander this offseason, they should probably take it. He’s got a $3 million cap hit as of last year, and he’s scored a grand total of 10 goals and 30 points in the two seasons since that pay raise. The cap cost isn’t hurting the Canucks themselves much right now, but it does make it harder to move him.

Back when Podkolzin was traded to the Oilers for a fourth-round pick, there was plenty of consternation from the fanbase, and that turned out to be a fair reaction. But Podkolzin was younger then, and not making nearly as much money.

Most would have to consider an offer of a fourth-round pick for Höglander to be fair, and most would probably take it at this point. Anything like a third or higher, and the Canucks are probably running to the NHL Central Registry to make it official.

Even a truly late draft pick would probably suffice, just in the sense of an ‘addition by subtraction’ sort of thing.

The real question, when it comes to Höglander, is whether he’s all the way into “future considerations” territory by now. As in, are the Canucks so much better off without him – and with the ability to give his ice-time to others – that they’d be willing to give him away for absolutely nothing?

To that, we’re leaning toward a ‘yes.’ And that ‘yes’ gets stronger if the Canucks happen to add any forwards to the mix during this offseason, either via a high draft pick or perhaps the pickup of a different veteran like Brendan Gallagher. Again, there’s just only so much ice time to go around, and if Höglander is still here and still making $3 million, he’s going to get some of it.

Maybe he finds his game somewhere else with a fresh start, but at this point, that’s not much of a risk, and probably a risk the Canucks should be willing to take. Truly, the odds of Höglander developing into such a consistent NHL player at this point that he’s still contributing in, say, five years when the rebuild is more complete, and he’s 30 are so low, they barely merit mentioning. And that’s the only real risk the Canucks should be worried about here.

We could take this discussion a step further, but we think it ends here. As asset-poor and as cap-space-rich as the Canucks are right now, they’ve probably got no real reason to pay to get rid of Höglander. He might be playing like a cap dump, but the Canucks being better off without him doesn’t quite equate to them wanting or needing to give up an asset to do so. The team could always bury a good chunk of Höglander’s cap hit in the minors if it really came down to it.

But we think anything short of that is probably worth doing this offseason. Whether Höglander goes for a mid-draft pick, a late-draft pick, or nothing at all, it’s probably best for everyone involved, and Höglander included, that he moves on.

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3 biggest NHL draft busts ever selected at third overall

David Quadrelli — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

The draft bust.

They’re found in every sport with a drafting process, and the reason(s) for flaming out after showing plenty of promise are often complicated.

Everyone knows the success stories. The draft day steals who likely should have gone first or second overall in a redraft. For the NHL, Cale Makar dropping to Colorado at fourth overall comes to mind as a recent example. We’ve spilled plenty of ink already talking about some of the best players drafted at third overall, where the Vancouver Canucks will select at the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26th.

But who are some of the players on the opposite end of that? Today, we’re looking at the three players who were selected third overall and went on to have less-than-ideal NHL careers relative to their draft position.

Note: We aren’t including pre-expansion drafts. Only 1970 onwards was considered for this story.

3 – Cam Barker

Being drafted immediately after immediate superstars and future Hall of Famers Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin comes with some high expectations. Barker was highly touted for his massive 6’3 223-pound frame and dynamic offensive instincts, which made him a shoo-in to quarterback a power play and be a first-pairing defenceman for years to come. At least, that’s what the Chicago Blackhawks thought.

Despite showing early promise and recording a 40-point season with Chicago in the 2008-09 season — his fourth season with Chicago — Barker ultimately became one of the franchise’s biggest draft disappointments. Barker’s skating turned out to be nothing to write home about, there were plenty of questions about his defensive IQ, and like most draft busts, Barker also dealt with a number of injuries.

The Blackhawks traded Barker to the Minnesota Wild for Kim Johnsson and a prospect named Nick Leddy, who would go on to be a part of the Hawks’ Stanley Cup win in 2012-13. As for Barker, he suited up for 14 games with the Canucks in 2012-13, and those would be the last NHL games he’d ever play in. Barker played overseas in the KHL, Switzerland, Finland, and in France before retiring after the end of the 2020-21 season.

2 – Alexander Svitov

Remember my write-up on draft eligible goaltenders from last week? How I quoted Ian Clark talking about how he mostly looks for raw physical tools when scouting young goaltenders, typically in the later rounds? Well, the Tampa Bay Lightning applied similar logic when they selected Alexander Svitov third overall in the 2001 NHL Draft.

Standing a massive 6’3″ and weighing over 220 lbs, Svitov was viewed as the ultimate power forward prospect: a rare combination of elite size, mean physical edge, and offensive touch. However, Svitov never came close to justifying his top-three draft status, finishing his North American career with just 37 points in 179 games. He was thrust into the NHL as a teenager and clashed with Tampa Bay head coach John Tortorella over his work ethic and defensive play. Svitov bolted for the KHL after a quick stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets as one last kick at the can on his NHL career.

Some names that went after Svitov in the first round of this draft are: Stephen Weiss (4th overall), Mikko Koivu (6th overall), Mike Komisarek (7th overall), and Dan Hamhuis (12th overall).

1 – Neil Brady

Finally, we get to the man who holds the record for the fewest NHL games played by a player selected third overall in the NHL draft (post-1970 expansion): Neil Brady.

Selected third overall by the New Jersey Devils in 1986, Brady was a big centre (listed at 6’3, 205 lbs) who was part of a powerhouse Medicine Hat Tigers team. In his draft season, Brady put up 83 points in 57 games, along with 126 penalty minutes and scouts quickly fell in love with his prototypical power-centre frame and playstyle.

But that junior success didn’t translate to the NHL. While Brady’s size allowed him to protect the puck and dominate smaller junior players, his skating couldn’t keep up with the speed of the NHL. Brady spent most of his time with the Devils in the AHL, and whenever he was called up, he failed to produce offensively.

The Devils traded Brady to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for future considerations in 1992. From there, Brady played 55 games for the Senators, five for the Dallas Stars the next season, and spent the next nine seasons of his pro career in the IHL. His final NHL totals: 89 games played, nine goals, 22 assists, and 95 penalty minutes.

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