Canucks face tough backlash after third overall selection!

The Vancouver Canucks held one of the most coveted picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, sitting at third overall on Friday night in Buffalo. Plenty of talent remained on the board, including highly regarded defenseman Chase Reid out of Sault Ste. Marie in the OHL. But when the Canucks stepped to the podium, they called the name that immediately set the hockey world buzzing for all the wrong reasons: Caleb Malhotra.

Malhotra, an 18-year-old center, is the son of Vancouver's own head coach, Manny Malhotra. That connection instantly overshadowed whatever scouting merits the pick may carry.

According to Rick Dhaliwal, the Canucks have had Malhotra on their radar for a long time and were not deterred by the obvious optics of drafting the coach's kid. Reporter David Dwork noted the situation with a hint of skepticism, writing that Malhotra was headed to the team that hired his father as head coach, and questioning whether this was truly a consensus selection.

On paper, the younger Malhotra has legitimate credentials. He posted 29 goals and 84 points in 67 games during a strong freshman OHL campaign with the Brantford Bulldogs. He added 13 goals and 26 points in 15 playoff contests, helping his squad reach the third round. Those 13 postseason goals reportedly ranked fourth all-time among OHL rookies.

Still, scouts have not reached a firm conclusion on his ceiling. Some see a dynamic top-line center, while others project him more as a competitive, two-way presence in a team's middle six. That kind of uncertainty at third overall, combined with the family ties to the coaching staff, has fueled significant frustration among Vancouver's fanbase.

Many supporters expected the Canucks to address their blue line by selecting Reid, the talented OHL defenseman who was still available. Passing on that kind of need-based pick in favor of the head coach's son was always going to invite scrutiny, regardless of Malhotra's talent.

Let’s just say that I hope Caleb Malhotra does not spend too much time on social media tonight, looking up comments and facing the tough backlash, and that he enjoys this achievement of getting picked third overall in a top class.

For now, the Canucks will have to weather the storm of public opinion while betting that their scouting was sound. Whether Caleb Malhotra eventually silences the critics will take years to determine, but the debate over this pick is only just getting started.