As the Vancouver Canucks launch their journey back to respectability, perhaps no one person has a bigger task ahead of them than Manny Malhotra.
The 46-year-old was named the 23rd head coach in franchise history on Monday, taking on the monumental task of charting a course to turn the last-place NHL team into a winner.
“[Manny] has the makeup and everything I could want in a coach to start this rebuild,” said Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson at a Tuesday media conference. “I really feel this is an amazing opportunity.”
Malhotra will hold a media availability on Thursday, according to the Canucks.
The team has now hired four former Canucks players into key leadership roles in the past few weeks. Malhotra and Johnson were both promoted from the farm team in Abbotsford. Henrik and Daniel Sedin were named co-presidents on May 14.
They replace the trio of Jim Rutherford, Patrik Allvin, and Adam Foote, who were either let go or stepped down after a season in which the Canucks could only muster 25 wins.
The new regime says it will rebuild the team through the draft and player development, which will likely take years to accomplish.
Johnson said patience is key and Malhotra will not be judged on wins and losses, but rather on alignment with the front office’s vision and his ability to bring structure to a young team.
“[Manny] holds players accountable — it’s not rainbows every day,” said Johnson. “He’s able to navigate the adverse situations by being consistent.”
Johnson was speaking from the NHL scouting combine in Buffalo where Malhotra’s draft-eligible son, Caleb, is undoubtedly busy meeting teams that are interested in selecting him, including Vancouver, which has the third overall pick in the NHL draft.
Johnson said he and Malhotra have discussed the possibility of the Canucks selecting his son.
“We’ll make our decision based on the best player available when we pick,” he said.
