Could The Canucks Lose Malhotra To The Maple Leafs This Off-Season?

The NHL coaching carousel has started early this season. Two coaches have already been fired, with other vacancies expected to open up once the campaign is over. One of the projected openings is the Toronto Maple Leafs, as speculation continues to grow around Craig Berube .

If the Maple Leafs do make a change this off-season, insiders have listed current Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach Manny Malhotra as a potential fit. The 45-year-old has already left the Canucks organization once to join Toronto, as he was an Assistant Coach with the Leafs before arriving in Abbotsford last season. Even if Toronto goes in a different direction, the chances of Malhotra returning to the AHL with the Canucks next season seem to be shrinking as the weeks go by.

Sticking with the Leafs, the chance that Malhotra becomes the next coach arguably increases if Toronto hires Mike Gillis as its new GM or President of Hockey Operations. Gillis has some familiarity with Malhotra, as he was the Canucks GM when Malhotra signed in Vancouver. During their three seasons together, the Canucks won back-to-back Presidents' Trophies while Malhotra finished top-five in Selke Trophy voting during the 2010-11 season.

Abbotsford head coach Manny Malhotra watches his team from the bench during the first period of their game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif. , Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.