The Vancouver Canucks are not wasting any time in overhauling the organization. The turnover started at the top and has steadily dripped down.
The first domino to fall was the firing of Patrik Allvin, with Ryan Johnson and the Sedin twins taking over the reins at the upper echelons of the organization.
The next step now involves bringing in a new coach. The dismissal of Adam Foote has essentially paved the way for Manny Malhotra to become the Canucks’ next bench boss.
For anyone paying attention, the writing had been on the wall for quite some time. Last season, when the club hired Foote, the move came down to a choice between Foote and Malhotra. The Canucks eventually went with Foote, as the familiarity with Foote serving as an assistant under Rick Tocchet would translate well into the head coaching gig.
Unfortunately, the results spoke for themselves.
The situation now seems to beckon Malhotra’s promotion from AHL Abbotsford to the NHL Canucks. It would actually be mind-shocking to see the organization go with someone else. Yes, there are various candidates out there. But given the new direction the organization seems to be taking, there’s little doubt that Malhotra will be the new bench boss for 2026-27.
Familiarity at the Core of Malhotra Taking Over in Vancouver
So, the major connection to Malhotra is familiarity. Canucks ownership has gone to great lengths to ensure that the club brings in people already knowledgeable of the situation and the team.
That’s why the club ultimately chose Johnson and will likely go with Malhotra. Both Johnson and Malhotra know each other well, with the Sedins having a clear understanding of who they’re going to be working with.
But beyond familiarity, the transition promises to be seamless. An outsider would naturally have a learning curve to deal with. That curve could be longer or shorter, depending on the circumstances.
And it could lead to precious time lost. That lost time could result in missed opportunities or mistakes based on a lack of clear understanding.
That doesn’t appear to be the case with a Johnson-Malhotra tandem. But there’s another powerful reason why Malhotra will be the guy for the Canucks.
What to read next:
Malhotra Knows the Canucks Prospect Pipeline
One of the major issues in any rebuild is developing players. If an organization cannot develop its players, the rebuild could ultimately fail.
Malhotra knows the Canucks’ prospect pipeline as well as anyone. So does Johnson. That’s why it makes sense to team up Johnson and Malhotra in building and developing the organization’s prospect pipeline.
That’s the direction Canucks’ ownership wants to take. And it’s the best direction for the team to ensure that the moves to come will set the stage for a competitive squad down the line.
Unlike other rebuilds around the league, the Canucks’ approach actually promises to deliver results much sooner than anticipated.
Who knows, Vancouver may end up turning things around quickly, much like the Montreal Canadiens did. The Canadiens went from a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2021 to a full rebuild, and back to the Eastern Conference Final in about five years.
Canucks Paving the Way for Malhotra to Take Over