Caleb Malhotra drafted 3rd overall by Canucks
The North Vancouver teen becomes the first top-three pick for Vancouver in 27 years, reuniting with his father Manny as the new head coach.
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The Vancouver Canucks selected Caleb Malhotra with the third overall pick at the NHL Draft in Buffalo on Thursday, marking the franchise's first top-three selection since Daniel Sedin in 1999.
Caleb sat front-row with his family, including his father Manny Malhotra, who was recently hired as the Canucks' head coach. Uncle Steve Nash, the Hall of Famer and Caleb's relative through marriage, made a surprise appearance on the broadcast to celebrate the moment.
"This is unbelievable. This is something I've always dreamed of," Caleb said on air. "I'm so thankful for them. I wouldn't be here without each and every one of them."
Later in the same draft, the Canucks used their other first-round pick—the 24th overall—to select Adam Novotny, a Czech winger ranked top-20 on most draft boards. It marked the first time in 12 years the Canucks made two first-round selections in a single year.
Novotny, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound left-side winger, scored 34 goals in 58 games for the Peterborough Petes of the OHL last season and won silver with the Czech World Junior squad.