Canucks: Malhotra hiring latest effort to get the band back together

Breadcrumb Trail Links

The vibes are great — but will it matter if the tools aren’t available?

Get the latest from Patrick Johnston straight to your inbox Sign Up

Published Jun 05, 2026 • 3 minute read

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Manny Malhotra and Ryan Johnson Manny Malhotra (right) is introduced as the new coach of the Vancouver Canucks by GM Ryan Johnson, at Rogers Arena on Thursday. Photo by Jason Payne /PNGArticle content

It was fitting that the day the Vancouver Canucks hired Manny Malhotra as its 23rd head coach was also the 15th anniversary of the high-water mark in team history.

Advertisement 2

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.

THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account

Article content

June 4, 2011: The night Alex Burrows scored the winning goal in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, putting the Canucks up 2-0 in the series.

Article content

Everything seemed possible that night.

We don’t need to go into what happened after.

So there we were on Thursday morning, in the same building where Burrows scored that goal all those years ago, listening to Malhotra and his new boss — who is also his old boss — project positivity and clarity about the task ahead.

It was like a family reunion. Malhotra has spent the past two seasons working with Ryan Johnson in Abbotsford; now, they will run the big team.

And both former players were also teammates with their big bosses, the Sedin twins.

For outsiders, there are vibes to be considered: These guys were here when the Canucks were at their best — OK, so Malhotra had replaced Johnson as the team’s lead checking centre in 2010, but Johnson’s two years as a player in Vancouver were pretty good ones, too — so maybe, just maybe, those vibes can be carried into the present, with the old hands leading the way.

The quartet are also a unique case: For the first time in team history, the three senior hockey operations positions will be filled by former Canucks players. (With the caveat that Pat Quinn held all three positions simultaneously in the early 1990s.)

Canucks Report

Thanks for signing up!

Article content

Advertisement 3

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

There is something of a public confidence case — these are familiar names to Canucks fans, who are dreaming of the old days.

But for Johnson, that’s just not something that is weighing on him. There is simply a job to be done.

“It doesn’t change what people on the street might say to me,” he said after Thursday’s news conference. That he knows the city obviously helps, but he would operate the way he plans to operate no matter what team or city he was in.

“The job is to win,” he said.

He’ll be giving a similar message to the players. Sure, him and Malhotra and the Sedins being former Canucks will give them some insights into what current players are going through — and what they expect of their bosses — but it’s not something he puts in front of his players directly.

“As soon as you talk about, ‘Well, when I did this, when I did that,’ the wall just goes up. They don’t want to hear that,” he explained.

“I can use language, and I can approach you differently, with maybe (players) understanding that I do have a little experience. But I find as soon as you talk about yourself, you lose today’s players.”

Advertisement 4

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

And, he thinks, fans too. They are of course interested in his experience, but the task is about building things. He’s the GM. People look to him to lead the team to the future, no matter where he’s been.

He knows what Canucks fans want. They want a team to believe in. That’s all that matters.

And hiring Manny Malhotra clearly is going to give fans, and the players, confidence.

The vibes are good. Now they’ve got to deliver. And to deliver, they’ve got to be given the space and the backing they need. The 2011 run didn’t happen by accident. It happened because the players, coaches and managers were given everything they needed.

That’s the other thing to remember about what happened Thursday: Vibes don’t win games. Good planning and good execution wins games.

pjohnston@postmedia.com

Coach vs. Dad: How Manny Malhotra deals with his hockey-star son Caleb

Canucks: Why Brock Boeser should captain the arduous roster rebuild

Article content

Share this article in your social network

Canucks: Malhotra hiring latest effort to get the band back together

Tags: