Vancouver Canucks hire Manny Malhotra as head coach

June 2 (UPI) -- The Vancouver Canucks hired Manny Malhotra as their head coach.

General manager Ryan Johnson announced the hire late Monday. Malhotra spent the last two seasons as head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks.

"Manny and I have been in the battle together before, so I know firsthand what a good teacher, leader, and quality person he is," Johnson said in a news release. "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."

The Canucks fired former coach Adam Foote in May. Foote led the Canucks to a 25-49-8 record in one season. He replaced RIck Tocchet, who resigned after coaching the Canucks to a 108-65-27 record from 2022-23 through 2024-25.

Malhotra led the Abbotsford Canucks to a 72-61-6-5 record over his two seasons as coach. They won the franchise's first Calder Cup in 2024-25.

The Canucks made the playoffs just twice since 2014-15. They lost in the second round in each of those appearances.

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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 4:51 AM.