It’s a hot topic in town. Choosing 3rd-overall in the upcoming NHL Draft, what if the Canucks have the opportunity to select new head coach Manny Malhotra’s son Caleb from the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Every NHL team would love to add a potential top-2 centre to their roster, but there’s the question of whether or not the father and son dynamic can work for this NHL team.
As an assistant, Dave Lowry coaching his son Adam, a veteran forward in Winnipeg for two seasons ending in 2022 is one thing. The potential Vancouver situation would see a head coach breaking in a teenager. Plus, Adam is 15 years senior to Caleb, and players’ attitudes, approaches and ability to be coached have changed.
“There is a possibility, at what percent I can’t tell you, that the Vancouver Canucks select Caleb,” general manager Ryan Johnson said earlier in the week.
R.J. said he wanted everything out in the open up front; that Manny knew that this scenario was a possibility.
“I wanted to make sure that he had time to talk with his wife and with his family, understanding that this would be a possible scenario, and that there was no hesitation from him moving forward on taking this position.”
“It was a part of the conversations that we had prior to the hiring process, and I fully understand the story there, understand the positives and the negatives of it, but with so many things I’ve learned, it’s a bit of a fool’s errand to plan out things that haven’t quite happened yet, so if that situation were to happen, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” coach Malhotra said at a press conference on Thursday.
“We’ve had a very clear understanding in our household, that first and foremost I’m dad, who also happens to be a professional hockey coach. When we are talking about hockey, there’s a decision by my kids whether they want to talk to dad or coach. So we will continue to have that rule in my house and it’s served us well as a family.”
At this point it would be hard to imagine coach Malhotra playing favourites with player Malhotra, should the situation arise. One would expect the young centre would be treated like everyone else in training camp, again, crossing that bridge if and when the Canucks come to it.
“We’ll make our decisions based on who the best player available is when we pick, and there’s not gonna be an outside influence changing who that might be,” Johnson added.
Earlier Canucks:
— How Canucks R.J. Saw Malhotra As The Right Choice
