Malhotra’s consistent performance at the AHL level convinced the Canucks that he could become a head coach at the NHL club

Vancouver Canucks general manager Rian Johnson is not impressed with the way Manny Malhotra led his team to the Calder Cup title.

Johnson said Tuesday that it was the way the head coach of the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks handled a difficult season next season, filled with injuries and roster inconsistency, that earned Malhotra the head coaching job in Vancouver.

“When you’re down and you get hit a little bit, you can maintain your form and your consistency, continue to coach, continue to develop… That’s what they showed me as a team, who they are really made of and what they can handle moving forward,” the general manager said during a video call.

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

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

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

Led by the 46-year-old former NHL forward, the Abbotsford Canucks won the Calder Cup in 2024-25 but missed the playoffs last season.

In Vancouver, he replaced Adam Foote, who was fired on May 19 after one season as bench coach.

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

Malhotra was immediately seen as the logical successor, but Johnson, who was named Vancouver’s general manager last month, wanted to take some time to talk with him about the vision and direction of rebuilding the NHL franchise.

“I didn’t want to do any knee-jerk reactions. I wanted to go through the process and make sure Manny was clear,” he said. “And Manny, when he jumped in, he jumped with both feet. That’s how we got to this point. Obviously, we’re all very excited to move forward.”

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

At the time, Johnson was the general manager of an AHL team and looked to his roster of interesting coaches for inspiration.

“Manny was one of the few guys I really paid attention to. When I knew I needed a head coach at Abbotsford, I was pretty sure he could do a lot of work there,” he said.

“What jumps out right away is his ability to connect and communicate. Manny is able to wear many hats. He holds players accountable. It’s not a rainbow every day. He’s able to handle adversity by being consistent.”

Malhotra may have to deal with a potentially sticky personal situation next season.

The Canucks have the third overall pick in this year’s draft, with Malhotra’s 18-year-old son Caleb expected to be the No. 1 pick.

Johnson said he spoke extensively with the new coach about the matter and made it clear that every decision the team makes, whether it’s about recruiting, the draft or games, doesn’t impact other decisions.

“I have to be very honest and clear with Manny that I want him to be the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks,” the general manager said.

“There’s a possibility – I can’t tell you – that the Vancouver Canucks select Caleb. I want to make sure we’re not sitting there on June 26th and Manny is like, ‘Hey, RJ, I really wish I knew this was a scenario or I really wish there was clearer information.'”

Johnson added that Malhotra discussed the possibility of coaching his son with his family before accepting the job and ultimately was not concerned about the potential conflict.

“As for the draft, we’re going through the process and obviously still making decisions,” he said from Buffalo, N.Y., where the NHL held its pre-draft combine games.

“When we select, we will make the decision based on who is the best player. There will be no outside influence to change the possible picks.”