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The Vancouver Canucks selected forward Caleb Malhotra with the third overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday.
Malhotra was ranked the No. 6 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. He tallied 29 goals and 84 points in 67 games this season as an OHL rookie with the Brantford Bulldogs. Malhotra then led the team in playoff scoring with 13 goals and 26 points in 15 contests.
Caleb's father, Manny, was hired as Vancouver Canucks head coach June 2.
Malhotra played in the BCHL in 2024-25, and rocketed up lists this year after moving to the OHL. A Boston University commit, he was able to change leagues as the NCAA voted in November 2024 to make CHL players eligible to play college hockey.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound pivot is widely considered the top center in the draft with his two-way acumen.
"My floor is just as a really responsible center," Malhotra told NHL.com's Mike G. Morreale. "When at my best, I think I'm an elite centerman that can score and literally do everything. ... I try to play with Aleksander Barkov and, obviously, he's a winner."
