One Big Hangup Looms For Canucks' Coaching Frontrunner Manny Malhotra

Abbotsford Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra

It's sounding more and more like the Vancouver Canucks are leaning towards in-house candidate Manny Malhotra to take over as their new head coach. But we're hearing that there could be one big hangup that looms over that potentiality.

The Canucks decided to move on from former coach Adam Foote, firing him this week after they finished with the team's worst record of this century. The franchise was also disappointed on NHL Lottery Day, as they fell to the third pick in next month's draft.

And therein could lie the issue. Many mock drafts have Brantford (OHL) center Caleb Malhotra going third. Yes, that's Manny's son.

According to John Buccigross, speaking on Frankly Hockey on Victory+, however, Dad might be uncomfortable with that potential arrangement.

I heard yesterday from a pretty decent source that he would not want to coach his son... Initially, it just seems a little awkward to have your son in that setting.

Frank Seravalli agreed with that assessment and added, "I don't know what dad would want to do that as the dad's first coaching job and the son's first foray into pro hockey. It does not seem like that's a match made in heaven."

Given that, Seravalli wonders why the Canucks didn't just wait until after the draft, to see how things would shake out before firing Foote, and having to get a new coach in there with the Mahotra thing looming?

He then goes on to answer his own question, with another question: "Was this precipitated by, did Toronto ask for permission to speak to Manny Malhotra?"

Malhotra, the elder, led the Abbotsford Canucks to an AHL Calder Cup title last year. He was also an assistant on the Maple Leafs staff for four years before that.

Caleb Malhotra, the 17-year-old, racked up 84 points in 67 games for the Brantford Bulldogs this year, while adding another 13 goals and 26 points in 15 games in the OHL playoffs.