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Davy Jones Locker Room
30 minutes
Draft Profiles 2k26: Is there any way Caleb Malhotra falls to Seattle?
Whenever I do these, I always try to have at least one reach ahead and behind, and Caleb Malhotra in any other year would probably be top 3 overall, wingers and defenders this year have such strong representation that he’s now in the wheelhouse of Seattle possibly getting him. Who is he? Caleb Malhotra is a 6’2, 185-pound Center from Toronto who is a left-handed shot. He played for the Brampton Bulldogs, who are an OHL team in Canadian Junior, and is committed to the Boston University Terriers in the NCAA. What’s he good at? A little bit of everything, as it turns out! Malhotra is the son of long-time NHLer Manny Malhotra; who made his bread being a two-way forward with a good faceoff win percentage and solid production throughout his time in the NHL. His son Caleb appears to have followed in his father’s footsteps, with the added bonus of being a much more offensively gifted player than his journeyman father ever was. Malhotra’s offensive skills are predicated on his creativity; he refuses to let the same reads be seen by backcheckers as he moves with the puck, and with his stick skills he’s able to keep a level of unpredictability for either a pass or a shot. This is primarily due to a very mature understanding of offensive playmaking; he recognizes developing lanes of attack as they happen and tries his darnedest to help his fellow player utilize them as best as possible. This, in turn, makes him a seriously dangerous player with the puck, and as such defenders tend to keep their eyes planted firmly on him…which just creates more space for his teammates, creating yet more scoring chances and the like. When it’s on him to make something happen, his shot is strong and accurate, but definitely helped along by that unpredictability; he loves messing with goalies using feints and no-look shots that catch netminders unawares as he moves through the ice; specifically towards the front of the net. Malhotra does not try to initiate contact often, but he often ends up finding a way through defenders in a way that infuriates opposing goaltenders. When away from the puck, Caleb shows a similar level of maturity that his offensive game has, able to keep pace with attackers in transition and his ability to anticipate plays and recognize them gives him a similarly expert ability to break them up with a poke check or a well timed stick lift that stymies plays before they can happen, and will happily put his smooth stickwork to good use on the boards, where he can pry pucks out of piles and actively hound forecheckers into get rid of the puck in a sub-optimal way. Most intriguing about Malhotra, and specifically the most exciting aspect, is that Malhotra rises to the occasion; his teammate and Kraken prospect Jake O’Brien suffered an injury after camp for the World Juniors, and as such Caleb found himself taking O’Brien’s minutes while he recovered. It was there where he truly blossomed into the prospect we see before us today, and where he could be going as his game continues to improve at Boston University. What’s he not-so-good at? Giving scouts a reason to think it’ll be enough to transcend. Since he’s been asked to do so much for the Bulldogs, he’s barely really involved himself so much in the physical side of the game. He’s willing to do it, and when he’s gotten involved he’s pretty good at that too, but if he’s in a situation like that the play is already over and order has broken down, and further he much prefers using his stick in board battles than imposing his will physically. He may want to get more acquainted with that as the game intensifies when he heads to the professional level. Meanwhile, while Malhotra does everything well…there isn’t really an area of the game he truly excels at. His skill floor is higher than a lot of prospects’ ceilings, and even on his worst days, he’s still a reasonably effective 200-foot center that can do a little of everything. But in the world of the NHL, that can also be a detriment, because if you can do just about everything well…you don’t really excel. This sort of thing can be a detriment to prospects, as it gives the impression there’s little room for their game to continue growing. Oh sure, he’d be a slam-dunk PK specialist or middle six goalscorer, that seems destined at this point, but it feels like the entire draft prognostication crowd seems insistent he’ll just park there as a solid Middle 6 Forward in the NHL. Given that he’s gone from BCHL to OHL to the NCAA all within three years of one another, A lot of what Malhotra will be now hinges on his first year as a BU Terrier this fall in Hockey East; a much bigger, defensively responsible league. Prospect Rankings Ranked 5th by EliteProspects.com Ranked 6th by TSN’s Craig Button Ranked 5th by DailyFaceoff.com Ranked 9th by SmahtScouting.com Ranked 20th by DobberProspects.com Should the Kraken get him? I mean, if they can, they can try. Manny Malhotra is the current coach of the Vancouver Canucks; a team that seems allergic to making intelligent decisions multiple times in a row and desperately looking for some positive publicity. The feel-good story of father coaching and son playing is just too good to pass up. Even if the Canucks just pick the best available player, the Blackhawks, Rangers, and Flames desperately need Centers who aren’t completely depleted as players and Malhotra would fit the bill. Especially if they have the potential to become the eternally useful player his father was. But! If the six teams ahead of the Kraken decide that it would be better to let someone else have him, and specifically all of the high end defense prospects in this draft are taken, then I think the Kraken should find some space for him in their organization. But only if the defense and wing prospects are gone first. Unfortunately, even if I personally love this kind of player, this exact archetype of player is all over the organization right now, and fans are not looking for another 200-foot forward to hang their hopes on at the moment unless they’re also in contention for a scoring title. If Caleb makes his way here, he’s going to need to keep rising in order to make fans feel like they’re not in a Middle Six Forward factory.
Eater Seattle
about 16 hours
The Best Restaurants in Tacoma
Often thought of as Seattle’s southern little sister, Tacoma has surged in population in the last decade, and Washington State’s third-largest city can definitely hold its own against its siblings when it comes to its food scene. From fried chicken and waffles in Lincoln to luscious bagel sandwiches in Edison City, from Vegas-style fine dining […]
Seattle Weekly
about 16 hours
Light rail draws record crowds for America’s World Cup match
Link light rail drew approximately 280,000 riders when the United States and Australia met in the World Cup Friday, June 19 at Lumen Field in Seattle far exceeding the previous high mark of 220,000 set earlier this year during the Seahawks Super Bowl parade.
My Ballard
about 17 hours
Heron Habitat Helpers raises concerns about Terminal One proposal near Ballard Locks
Heron Habitat Helpers (HHH) is urging the City of Seattle to require additional environmental review and protections for a proposed shoreline redevelopment near the Ballard Locks, citing concerns about potential ... Read more
My Ballard
about 18 hours
Ballard FC and Salmon Bay FC to host Wednesday doubleheader featuring local artist night
Ballard FC and Salmon Bay FC will host a doubleheader at Interbay Stadium on Wednesday, June 24, with both clubs celebrating local illustrator and designer Victor Meléndez through their annual ... Read more
Seattle Weekly
about 21 hours
More details, and friction, around Washington news fellowship | Free Press Initiative
Reporters in the program get paid more than newsroom journalists. That could be a problem.
My Ballard
about 23 hours
The Walrus and the Carpenter closes amid ongoing labor strike
The Walrus and the Carpenter (4743 Ballard Ave. NW) closed Monday evening after management cited safety concerns amid an ongoing labor strike outside the Ballard restaurant. In a statement released ... Read more