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Caleb Malhotra insists he had no prior knowledge he’d be Canucks’ top draft pick
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Photo credit: Steven Ellis | The Nation Network
Jeff Paterson
Jun 27, 2026, 00:36 EDTUpdated: Jun 27, 2026, 00:59 EDT
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Caleb Malhotra swears he had no insider information that the Vancouver Canucks were using the third overall pick in the National Hockey League Draft to take him. Despite his father Manny being named head coach of the hockey club recently and all the chatter surrounding a potential family reunion, the younger Malhotra insists he first learned he had been chosen when he heard his name called early in the proceedings in Buffalo on Friday night.
“I had no hints or no clues from anybody, so I was just as blind as everybody was,” Malhotra told the Vancouver media on a Zoom call moments after his big moment. “Just to hear my name get called at all and especially to this organization that has a personal connection and a big emotional meaning for me. I’m just so grateful and this couldn’t have been more perfect for me.”
The big centre from the Brantford Bulldogs was taken after Toronto made Gavin McKenna the first overall selection and San Jose took Ivar Stenberg with the second selection.
Malhotra, who was born in Victoria in 2008, is coming off a season in which he scored 29 goals and added 55 assists in the Ontario Hockey League. He has committed to Boston University to play NCAA hockey next season.
“Hugging all my family, I was so happy and so relieved to hear my name and walking up on stage and shaking hands with Gary (Bettman) is like a dream come true,” he explained. That feeling of nervousness and uneasiness immediately went away. This is the best I’ve ever felt in my life and this is the greatest feeling ever.”
Malhotra is expected to be the featured skater at Canucks development camp next week. Interestingly enough, the camp is being conducted in Abbotsford, where his father guided the AHL Canucks to the Calder Cup championship a year ago.

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