It's not every day that you have the opportunity to draft a member of your family to the team you work for. While it's actually happened once before in the NHL, you'd have to go back almost 30 years to find an example of this.
Bob Gainey, while managing the Dallas Stars, selected his son, Steve Gainey, 77th overall in the 1997 NHL entry draft, while splitting head coaching duties among other responsibilities. Of course you also have the legend Gordie Howe who played on the same team as his sons for a season back in '79, and more recently Rod Brind'Amour coached his son Skyler's first NHL game, though he was selected by the Oilers seven seasons earlier. Nevertheless, the opportunity is quite rare, and it can also provide a little clarity for the rest of the teams drafting in the top five of the upcoming draft later this month.
The Rangers connection
Manny Malhotra may not stand out when you think of "Rangers greats" over the last few decades. In many ways, it was the classic Rangers story: a top-10 pick burdened with enormous expectations who ultimately found his way out of New York sooner than expected.
The Rangers drafted Manny with the seventh overall pick in 1998, and the organization believed at the time he would be a key part of their franchise that was eager to return to their previous championship status. It only took four seasons before he was traded to the Stars, and would later bounce around to six other teams. One of those teams was the Vancouver Canucks.
On June 1, the Canucks announced that Manny Malhotra would be returning to Vancouver, only this time behind the bench. Manny had spent the last decade in various roles within the organization, including with its AHL affiliates and led the Abbotsford Canucks to a Calder Cup championship in his first year as head coach.
More than a consolation prize
The Rangers weren't the only ones with lotto hopes following a difficult season. The Canucks were downright miserable, winning just 25 games this year, and entered the draft with the highest odds at landing the number one selection.
Caleb Malhotra has steadily risen up the draft rankings, going from being a projected top 15 pick this time last year, to being a consensus top five pick in almost any rankings you'll see today. The case for the Canucks grabbing him at third overall made sense even before his father stepped into the head coaching role. He is unequivocally the best center available of this year's class.
""Malhotra brings a combination of maturity and intelligence to the ice that makes him the best center prospect available this year. Not something many people would've pictured being true when the season started. This is why we watch and learn. Too often, calling a player a "two-way center" just means he's used at both ends of the ice and nothing else. For Malhotra, it means he's effective no matter the zone you put him in; you can trust him on the ice in any situation, and he will not only hold his own but also thrive and drive positive results.""Hannah Stuart, Bleacher Report
The outlook for the top five
For argument's sake, let's assume Caleb Malhotra is drafted at third. What does it mean for the Rangers pick at 5th overall?
1st overall, Toronto Maple Leafs - Gavin McKenna
The consensus top pick for quite some time. You can debate over whether it's the right landing spot, but McKenna is the no-brainer is this draft.
2nd overall, San Jose Sharks - Chase Reid
This is a tricky one. While Stenberg would be the Sharks drafting player over position, I do believe they should take a defenseman with this pick. The top end of the draft is loaded with talent at the position. Any team would be happy to select Chase Reid or Carson Carels and walk out of there happy.
3rd overall, Vancouver Canucks - Caleb Malhotra
What a moment this would be. Maybe the Canucks even let Manny announce the pick...
4th overall, Chicago Blackhawks - Ivar Stenberg
The Blackhawks have gone heavy on drafting defensemen in the last few drafts, and a player like Stenberg slipping to 4th would give them a very entertaining line with Bedard at center.
5th overall, New York Rangers - Carson Carels
This would be the best case scenario if you're the Rangers. If miraculously Stenberg were to still be available, I would leap out of my chair. Carels and Reid could also completely change places in this list and it wouldn't surprise me. Other teams may very well go off the board, but I'm confident the Rangers end up with a pick they're quite happy with. If I was a betting man, I'd say the Rangers draft whichever defenseman San Jose doesn't.
Whether Caleb Malhotra ultimately lands in Vancouver or not, the story is a reminder of how small the hockey world can be. For now, Rangers fans can only sit back and watch how the board unfolds ahead of them. If Caleb Malhotra comes off the board at third overall, it removes one more variable from an already fascinating draft. And while New York may have missed out on lottery luck, history has shown that elite players can still be found outside the top three. The challenge now is making sure they identify the right one when they step to the podium at fifth overall.
