Vancouver Canucks hire Manny Malhotra as Head Coach

He takes over following the firing of Adam Foote after just one season.

Malhotra joins Vancouver after spending the last two seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks. During his time with Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, Malhotra went 72-61-6-5 and won the Calder Cup Championship in his first season in 2024-25.

Before taking the Abbotsford job, Malhotra worked for both Vancouver and the Toronto Maple Leafs as an assistant coach. With Toronto, he helped the Maple Leafs become a top power-play and faceoff team in the NHL.

As a player, Malhotra spent 16 seasons in the NHL. Three of those seasons were with Vancouver, including the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011.

Regarding the hiring, Vancouver Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson, who was also the GM in Abbotsford before getting the NHL job, said he knows just how good a coach and person Malhotra is. 

“Manny is a great coach who has the right skillset and mentality to help players develop and get better each day,” Johnson said. “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 is now in charge of a team that finished last in the NHL with 58 points this season. Vancouver will now look to build around a group of players that include veterans like Brock Boeser, Filip Hronek, and Jake DeBrusk. There are also promising young players in the organization, such as Zeev Buium, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, and Riley Patterson. 

Pair that with the third overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and Malhotra will have talent to work with as he looks to get the Canucks back to being a playoff team.

Malhotra will be officially introduced as head coach later this week.