Malhotra’s consistency at the AHL level sold the Canucks on his fit as a head coach for an NHL club

The way Manny Malhotra led the team to the Calder Cup is not something that impressed Vancouver Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson.

It was how the head coach of the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks handled a difficult campaign the following season, riddled with injuries and player inconsistencies, that made Malhotra head coach in Vancouver, Johnson said Tuesday.

“When you’re down and you get kicked a little bit, and you can stay with who you are and that consistency, keep training, keep improving … that’s when they showed me, as a team, what they’re really made of and what they’re going to be able to deal with going forward,” the GM said on a video call.

Malhotra was officially named the 23rd head coach in franchise history on Monday night.

His coaching staff will be filled out in the coming weeks and months, Johnson said.

Malhotra previously served as a development coach and assistant coach for the NHL’s Canucks, then spent four seasons as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs before taking the head coaching duties at Abbotsford.

Under the 46-year-old former NHL player, the Abbotsford Canucks won the Calder Cup in 2024-25 before missing the playoffs last season.

In Vancouver, he takes over for Adam Foote, who was fired on May 19 after serving one season as bench manager.

The Canucks finished the season last in the league with a record of 25-49-8.

Malhotra was quickly seen as his successor, but Johnson — named Vancouver’s manager last month — wanted to take his time and talk him through the vision and direction of a rebuilding NHL team.

“I don’t want to do anything on my knees, I wanted to go through this process, make sure it’s clear about Manny,” he said. “And Manny, when he jumped into it, he jumped in with both feet. And that’s how we got to this point here. Obviously, we’re both very excited to move forward.”

This is the second time Johnson has hired Malhotra as a coach after appointing him to lead Abbotsford in 2024.

At the time, Johnson was the GM of an AHL team and looked to his list of interesting coaches for inspiration.

“Manny was one of the few I was looking at. And when I knew I needed a head coach at Abbotsford, I was assured he could do a great job there,” he said.

“The things that immediately stood out were his ability to connect and communicate. Manny can wear many hats. He holds players accountable. It’s not a rainbow every day. He can navigate bad situations with consistency.”

Malhotra may have to go through a potentially thorny personal situation next season.

The Canucks hold their third draft title this year – and Malhotra’s 18-year-old son, Caleb, is expected to be the first pick.

Johnson said he talked a lot with his new coach about the situation and made it clear that all decisions made by the team, be it recruiting, scheduling games or playing will not affect another decision.

“I had to be honest and clear with Manny that I want him to be the coach of the Vancouver Canucks,” said the GM.

“It’s possible – by what percentage I can’t tell you – that the Vancouver Canucks pick Caleb. I wanted to make sure we weren’t sitting there on June 26 and Manny was in a place where he said, ‘Hey, RJ, I really wish I knew that was the situation or I really wish there was a little more clarity.’

Johnson added that before accepting the job, Malhotra discussed with his family the possibility of coaching his son and ended up having no concerns about potential conflicts.

“Regarding the draft, we’re going through the process, and obviously decisions are still being made,” he said from Buffalo, N.Y., where the NHL is holding its pre-draft combine.

“We will make our decisions based on who is the best player available when we choose. There will be no external influence that will change that possibility.”