Caleb Malhotra is one of the top prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft, an 18-year-old center who has all the tools to be a solid player in the league at both ends of the ice. And if you’re a hockey fan, his last name definitely sounds familiar.
If you’re here, you may be wondering: Is Caleb related to Manny Malhotra, the former seventh overall pick in the 1998 NHL Draft who played in 991 games for seven different franchises and who is now the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks?
The answer is: Yes! That’s his dad and there’s a lot of focus on whether the Canucks will draft him so he can be coached by Manny.
Will Caleb Malhotra be drafted by the Vancouver Canucks to play for his dad Manny?
It’s a possibility. The Canucks have the third overall pick in the draft and Malhotra will likely be available if Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg are off the board, and many mock drafts have that happening. Stay tuned!
What has Caleb Malhotra said about playing for his dad and the Canucks?
The Canucks, who have the No. 3 pick in the NHL Draft, could have an opportunity to choose Malhotra. The organization interviewed him on Monday afternoon.
“It went well. … They did ask how (I felt) it would be playing for my dad,” Caleb said with a grin. “I mean, it’d be pretty cool to play for him. I haven’t played for him since I was like 12 years old in minor hockey in British Columbia on a spring hockey team. He was on the bench and that was the last time I remember him coaching me.
“But it’d be interesting to play for him, for sure.”
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Is Caleb Malhotra related to Manny Malhotra, the Canucks coach and ex-NHLer?
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