"I'm very grateful to the Canucks organization for the opportunity given to me to start my coaching career. It was truly a great experience to learn from Travis Green and the rest of his staff," said Malhotra. "I'm now very excited for this opportunity with the Leafs moving forward - to be working with Sheldon, his staff and this young, talented team."
"The work ethic, character, intelligence and attention to detail that made Manny the ultimate teammate when he played are all assets that have translated to his coaching. That, combined with his charisma and communication skills, make us really excited to have him join the organization," said Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe. "On behalf of the Leafs, I'd like to thank Travis Green, Jim Benning and the Canucks organization for the opportunity to speak with Manny."
A Mississauga, Ontario native, Malhotra had spent the previous three NHL seasons as an assistant coach for Vancouver after first joining the Canucks' staff as a development coach in in 2016-17.
As a player, Malhotra played 16 seasons in the NHL across seven organizations after being drafted in the first round (seventh overall) by the New York Rangers in the 1998 NHL Draft. Through his NHL career, Malhotra recorded 295 points (116 goals, 179 assists) in 991 regular season games while also skating in 35 career Stanley Cup playoff games. He also won a Calder Cup championship in 2000 with the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL), playing in all 23 postseason games for the club. Prior to beginning his professional career, he won an OHL Championship in 1998 with the Guelph Storm.
Internationally, Malhotra represented Canada at the World Championships in 2002 after playing for his country at the World Junior Championships in 1998 and 2000. He served as captain for Canada at the 2000 World Juniors, capturing a bronze medal. He was also a member of Canada's Spengler Cup championship team in 2015-16.
