Canucks’ Malhotra opens first camp as head coach, gets in trenches with players

Canucks’ Malhotra opens first camp as head coach, gets in trenches with players GEMMA KARSTENS-SMITH PENTICTON, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 Open this photo in gallery: Vancouver Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra calls out instructions to players during the opening day of the team's training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday. DARRYL DYCK/THE CANADIAN PRESS COMMENTS SHARE SAVE FOR LATER Listen to this article Learn more about audio Log in or create a free account to listen to this article. Manny Malhotra had been waiting for this moment a long time. “It’s definitely something that felt really good this morning, almost like a Christmas morning feeling,” the Vancouver Canucks’ head coach said Thursday as his team opened training camp in Penticton, B.C. The morning session marked the first time Malhotra officially hit the ice as an NHL head coach. “Going through the summer and going through all the discussions and watching video and doing meetings and watching the same video over and over, it was nice just to get to the actual hockey part of it,” he said. “I was excited coming to the rink this morning, knowing that it was time to actually put on the skates and do what we love to do.” The 46-year-old former NHL forward was named the 23rd head coach in franchise history, part of a wave of change that washed over the Canucks after Vancouver finished last season at the bottom of the league standings with a 25-49-8 record. He replaced Adam Foote, who was fired on May 19 after serving a single season as bench boss. Malhotra is no stranger to NHL training camps. After playing 16 seasons in the league, the native of Mississauga, Ont., served as a development coach and an assistant coach for the NHL’s Canucks, then spent four seasons as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs before taking on head coaching duties with the Abbotsford Canucks in the American Hockey League. “I think guys are excited to learn from him,” said Canucks forward Brendan Gallagher. “He played in this league a long time, he’s coached now, he understands the game, he’s incredibly intelligent. We’re excited to have him as our leader.” Open this photo in gallery: Vancouver Canuck Brendan Gallagher takes a shot on goal during the opening day of the team's training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday. DARRYL DYCK/THE CANADIAN PRESS Malhotra’s first on-ice sessions featured defensive drills, big hits and a broken pane of glass. Defenceman Jamie Oleksiak…