Vancouver Canucks must pair father-son duo of Caleb and Manny Malhotra

As they pick up the pieces after a second straight disastrous season, the Vancouver Canucks are on track to face a most intriguing scenario.

After hiring former NHL player and AHL coach Manny Malhotra to be their next bench boss, the Canucks are set to select third overall in this year’s NHL draft. And the player they could take – and the player we’d argue they must take – is Malhotra’s son and OHL star center, Caleb Malhotra. 

Now, some things have to fall just right for the Canucks to draft Caleb Malhotra, but that absolutely could happen.

Here’s what we mean: If the Toronto Maple Leafs draft NCAA star winger Gavin McKenna with the first-overall pick, and the San Jose Sharks take Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg with the second-overall pick, that would leave the Canucks with the third pick. And although there’s a case to be made for the Canucks drafting OHL star defenseman Chase Reid, it makes much more sense for Vancouver to take Caleb Malhotra at third overall.

MORE: 'He's A Franchise No. 1 Center': NHL Draft Prospect Caleb Malhotra Is His Own Guy

Indeed, if Canucks GM Ryan Johnson keeps the third pick, how could he possibly go to Manny Malhotra and tell him, “Hey, we could’ve picked your son, but we chose not to”? The sting of that type of move would be painful and lasting for Manny Malhotra, and that’s why we believe Vancouver is going to take a chance on the father/son combination and select Caleb Malhotra at No. 3. It’s almost like they have to do it, as fate is putting Caleb and Manny Malhotra on the same road.

Drafting Caleb Malhotra isn’t a move Vancouver has to make just to please their new coach. As the Canucks push forward with a major rebuild, they’re going to need a first-line center, especially if Johnson trades veteran Elias Pettersson. So taking the best center in the draft, Malhotra, will solve a problem that has beleaguered many NHL teams for many years.

Sure, there would definitely be some things to iron out if the Canucks employ Manny and Caleb Malhotra. A father/son coach/player combination is almost unheard of in any sport, so bringing in both Malhotras would make Vancouver a highly-intriguing team to watch, whether or not you’re a Canucks fan.

The Canucks may be tempted to pick Reid and bolster their defense corps, but if they did that, and they dealt Pettersson, Vancouver would have a gaping hole at center. This is why it’s so clear the Canucks have to pick Caleb Malhotra. Based strictly on his talent level alone, Malhotra deserves to be the third-overall pick. And who knows – maybe the challenge of playing under his father will spur Caleb Malhotra to levels he never knew he had.

You rarely get opportunities to play under your dad, and anyone who’s played with their dad as a coach – even at an amateur level – knows it’s a delicate balancing act maintaining your family relationship while respecting the competitive roles that are laid out for the father and the son.

MORE: 'I Felt I Owed Him That To Have That Conversation': Ryan Johnson Has Spoken To Manny Malhotra About The Canucks Potentially Drafting Caleb Malhotra

That means there’s a legitimate challenge ahead for Manny and Caleb Malhotra, but just because something has rarely been done at the NHL level doesn’t mean that it’s not worth trying. And just because there’s been only eight instances in NHL history where a father has coached his son, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying for a ninth time.

So, if the Leafs and Sharks take McKenna and Stenberg off the board, the pick for the Canucks has to be Caleb Malhotra. He’s the most talented player of any player after the first two picks, and he’s got a connection to Vancouver that is only going to grow deeper as Manny Malhotra settles into the Canucks job. 

Thus, the third-overall pick for Vancouver must be Caleb Malhotra. He and his father are going to be pioneers when they become crucial parts of the Canucks’ rebuild – and if they can succeed together in B.C., the Malhotras are going to carve out a special place in hockey history.

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