Canucks Name Manny Malhotra 23rd Head Coach in Franchise History

Vancouver Canucks General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the club has officially hired Manny Malhotra as the 23rd head coach in franchise history. 

“Manny and I have been in the battle together before, so I know firsthand what a good teacher, leader, and quality person he is,” said Johnson. “Connection, consistency and putting in place the proper foundation will be key for our group moving forward. Manny is a great coach who has the right skillset and mentality to help players develop and get better each day. We both believe that pressure is a privilege, and learning to become a good pro takes patience, dedication, and a ‘be better than yesterday’ mindset. He loves the game and getting to know what makes his players tick and I am very confident Manny will help us ice a competitive and hard-working team that our fans will be proud of moving forward.”

Malhotra, 46, is a deeply familiar face to the Vancouver faithful. As a player, the Mississauga, Ontario native logged 14 seasons in the NHL, including a memorable three-year stint at the tail end of his playing career with the Canucks. He was a critical piece of the resilient leadership core that guided Vancouver to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. 

Malhotra joins Vancouver after serving as the Head Coach of the Abbotsford Canucks for the past two seasons. During his time with Abbotsford, the team posted a record of 72-61-6-5, which included a franchise-best 44 wins and 92 points in 2024.25, en route to the franchise’s first Calder Cup Championship