Manny Malhotra was never going to offer many details about the Vancouver Canucks’ coaching job Thursday morning.

Especially not with a playoff series pending.

Malhotra is in his first year as head coach of Vancouver’s AHL Abbotsford Canucks affiliate and he was on the ice prepping his charges for Friday’s Game 1 of their best-of-five Pacific Division final against the visiting Colorado Eagles at the same time the big club was introducing Adam Foote as its new bench boss.

Vancouver president Jim Rutherford had said that Malhotra was on the short list for the top job a couple of weeks ago after it was announced that Rick Tocchet wouldn’t be returning.

After Abbotsford’s practice Thursday, Malhotra did talk about having a strong relationship with Foote, stemming from their nearly three seasons as teammates with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He spoke about how he thought the connection between the parent club and farm team would remain similar to what it was with Tocchet, making it “seamless for the guys going up,” to Vancouver from Abbotsford.

Malhotra maintained the speculation about who would follow Tocchet hasn’t been a distraction for either himself or the Abbotsford players.

“All year long, we’ve preached the mindset of staying in the moment and being present and we’ve done a great job. Nothing changed the last two weeks,” said Malhotra, 44. “They were very present on the task at hand. There wasn’t a lot of extra noise in the room. Give credit to our veteran guys for being able to keep that noise out of the room.”

Malhotra has another season plus an option year on the contract he signed with the Canucks last May to take over the Abbotsford bench. 

Foote said Thursday that he wants to add both an offensive and a defensive assistant coach. The team could want an older, former NHL head coach to help him navigate his first year as bench boss in the league. Malhotra might be a fit, considering his work with Vancouver prospects and that he knows the market as a former player and assistant coach.

In turn, Vancouver brass might think he’s a bigger asset to the franchise guiding the up and comers in Abbotsford, and that running his own bench in the AHL could well be best for his own development long term.

A master plan for coaching in the organization will become clearer down the line.

Asked Thursday about whether it’s a positive to get the coaching job filled, Malhotra said: “It’s business as usual around here. Nothing changes as far as our focus or our goals.”

The most pressing goal is getting out to a good start against the Eagles on Friday (7 p.m.) at the Abbotsford Centre. Game 2 is there on Sunday (6 p.m.) before the series shits to Colorado, starting with Game 3 next Wednesday.

The Eagles (43-21-5-3) led the Pacific Division in the regular season, finishing two points before Abbotsford (44-24-2-2), but Abbotsford was 6-2-0-0 versus Colorado in the regular season. 

The last meetings were back in mid-February.

“It’s a new season. That’s our mindset,” Malhotra said of facing the Eagles. “Lots of things have changed over the last couple of months and since we played them last. They’re coming in here rested and hungry. It’s a different season. We’re expecting to start from scratch and having to earn and gain that momentum from the drop of the puck in Game 1.”

(L-R) Newell Brown, Nolan Baumgartner, Manny Malhotra and Travis Green of the Vancouver Canucks watch warm-ups prior to their game against the St. Louis Blues in Game Six of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.

(L-R) Newell Brown, Nolan Baumgartner, Manny Malhotra and Travis Green of the Vancouver Canucks watch warm-ups prior to their game against the St. Louis Blues in Game Six of the Western Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.

This is the fourth season for Vancouver to have its AHL team in Abbotsford and this is the best they have performed. They had won two playoff rounds total in the previous three seasons.

Abbotsford found success, too, despite a constantly changing lineup due to both injuries and the struggles of the parent team. That speaks to culture and chemistry.

“We have a lot of leaders in that room,” said blue liner Victor Mancini, 22. “I feel that the teams that are close off the ice tend to go the furthest on the ice. I think there are so many good personalities in that room and everyone brings something different to the table. It’s all coming together really well and helping us succeed.”

Forward Tristen Nielsen, 25, added: “It’s very inclusive and I think it’s kudos to our leadership group. Whether you’re an East Coast (ECHL) player or a top NHL prospect, it doesn’t really matter. As long as you’re willing to work and be a good guy, it’s a great place to play.”

@SteveEwen

SEwen@postmedia.com