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Canucks' Caleb Malhotra NHL Draft unexpected decision at Combine prompts jokes about his dad Manny

Canucks' Caleb Malhotra NHL Draft unexpected decision at Combine prompts jokes about his dad Manny originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Caleb Malhotra is one of the top prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft class.

This week at the NHL Draft Combine, though, Malhotra didn't have dinner with any teams. The team-player dinners are a way that franchises express interest, and a way they get to know more about the player.

Despite that, Malhotra didn't go out to eat with any teams -- including those like the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks at Nos. 2 and 3 who might consider drafting him.

MORE: Canucks make Gavin McKenna decision that Maple Leafs, Sharks don't make

Of course, there's more to the Canucks than just the team drafting third.

Their new head coach is Manny Malhotra, promoted from his job leading their AHL team to now lead the NHL club. And he's Caleb's dad.

Which made for some quality replies to the above post on X.

One simply wrote, tongue in cheek: "Canucks did not give permission," with a laughing emoji.

Another wrote: "Did he have lunch with his dad?"

And there was a, "Because he ate dinner with his dad," and a "Cold shoulder from dad? Ouch."

So yeah, don't expect the Malhotra father-son narrative to go away anytime soon. Everyone will be paying attention to this connection.

Will it lead the Canucks to draft Caleb? We'll all just have to find out on draft night.