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2026 NHL Draft notebook: Canucks grab solid value with Caleb Malhotra and Adam Novotny
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Photo credit: Steven Ellis | The Nation Network
Dave Hall
Jun 27, 2026, 01:08 EDTUpdated: Jun 27, 2026, 01:57 EDT
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BUFFALO, NY — The NHL Draft floor is a wild place to be.
Everyone is talking. Everyone is hearing something. Every conversation seems to point in a different direction, and by the time a pick is announced, half the rumoured moves don’t come to fruition.
That was certainly the case for the Vancouver Canucks.
Earlier in the afternoon, based on conversations we had throughout the day, it felt increasingly likely that Vancouver was looking in a different direction with the third overall pick. You can never be too sure, but Caleb Malhotra’s name seemed to have cooled considerably.
Then, about an hour before the Canucks walked to the podium, the chatter shifted almost completely.
Sure enough, when the time came, the Canucks selected the Brantford Bulldogs centre, adding another cornerstone piece to what they hope becomes the foundation of their rebuild.
At the end of the day, there’s no way to really be upset about the pick.
Malhotra is a high-character, high-floor natural centre. He wins faceoffs, plays in every situation, competes defensively, and still projects to produce offence at a mid-to-high rate. There may be debate about whether his offensive ceiling matches that of some of the flashier players available, but there is very little debate that he’s going to play NHL games. And honestly, that’s valuable.
When you suddenly look ahead and picture a future middle-six – at least – featuring both Braeden Cootes and Caleb Malhotra down the middle, it becomes easy to see the identity Vancouver is trying to build. They’re getting harder to play against, and it’s what we all wanted.
Now the question becomes… which one will be wearing the “C” five years from now?
The Toronto native enjoyed a breakout campaign during his lone season with the Brantford Bulldogs, finishing second on the club with 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists), 51 penalty minutes and a plus-33 rating in 67 games. He followed that up with another outstanding playoff performance, producing 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) in just 15 postseason contests.
Of course, there is another storyline that naturally comes attached to this selection.
His father, Manny Malhotra, is now behind the Canucks’ bench.
It’s impossible to ignore the connection, but it’s also something Caleb has already addressed head-on. Speaking to the media after being selected, he acknowledged the obvious talking point and made it clear that he’s prepared to earn everything that comes his way rather than have anything handed to him.
Growing up around the organization may actually prove to be an advantage. Caleb appears to understand the expectations that come with playing in a Canadian market. He understands the pressure, the scrutiny, and everything that accompanies wearing a Canucks jersey.
After making the biggest decision of the night at third overall, the remainder of Day 1 became about finding value.
And boy, did they ever. After falling out of his projected spot in the teens, the Canucks swooped in, handed the microhpne to Spencer Moore and landed one of our favourite value picks of the opening round.
Czech winger Adam Novotny arrived in North America for the first time this season after making the jump from the Czechia circuit to the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League.
The result? Novotny immediately led the Petes with 64 points while scoring an impressive 34 goals, and quickly established himself as one of the league’s more dangerous finishers.
And that goal scoring doesn’t come as much of a surprise. The defining tool in Novotny’s arsenal is his NHL-ready release. He owns one of the heavier shots in this draft class and doesn’t require much space to beat goaltenders clean. Better yet, he complements that release with a relentless motor, consistently hunting pucks, tracking back defensively, and keeping his feet moving.
When you start putting the package together, it’s easy to understand why Vancouver was thrilled to see him still available. A 6-foot-1, 200-pound winger who skates well, owns a pro-level shot, and competes every shift isn’t the type of player you typically expect to find later in the first round. His game comes with a relatively safe floor that gives second-line NHL-ready upside.
There is still plenty of development ahead, but the toolkit suggests tremendous value from where the Canucks selected him.
And considering Vancouver still owns eight more picks heading into Day 2, including two selections in the second round, there’s every opportunity for this draft class to become one of the organization’s most important in decades.

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