VANCOUVER — Manny Malhotra was hired as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks on June 1, 2026. He becomes the 23rd head coach in franchise history, replacing Adam Foote, who was fired on May 19, 2026, after the team finished last in the NHL with a 25-49-8 record in the 2025-26 season.

Malhotra previously worked with Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson in the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks organization, where Malhotra served as head coach. He led Abbotsford to a Calder Cup championship in the 2024-25 season before the team missed the playoffs in 2025-26 due to multiple players dealing with long-term injuries.

Before his AHL head coaching role, Malhotra held positions as a development coach and assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks. He later spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Malhotra also played 159 games for the Canucks during his 991-game NHL career.

Johnson emphasized Malhotra’s coaching philosophy and player development approach. “Manny is a great coach who has the right skill set and mentality to help players develop and get better each day,” Johnson said. “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.”

Johnson added that Malhotra’s leadership through adversity influenced the hiring decision. “That entire staff showed that they’re champions based off of not the year before, but of what they did last year, and what people around them took out of a pretty tough season,” he said.