Manny Malhotra’s first on-ice practice with the Canucks in Penticton featured defensive drills, big hits and bag skate participation by the full coaching staff.
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Vancouver Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra put his stamp on training camp Thursday when the club opened its preseason preparations in Penticton, B.C., beginning a work week built around limited exhibition games. The morning session marked the first time Malhotra officially took to the ice as an NHL head coach.
Malhotra, 46, described the transition from offseason preparation to camp practice as a positive step after months of discussions and video review. He spent the summer watching video and meeting with the staff before shifting into on-ice routines at camp.
Malhotra is the Canucks’ 23rd head coach in franchise history, replacing Adam Foote, who was fired on May 19 after one season as bench boss. Vancouver finished last season at the bottom of the league with a 25-49-8 record.
On Thursday, the team’s on-ice work included defensive drills and physical, contact-heavy elements. Defenceman Jamie Oleksiak left the ice with a cut above his lip after a battle during practice.
After each of the two practices scheduled for Thursday, the coaching staff joined players for a bag skate. The account says Malhotra’s group did not simply watch while players completed the endurance test; the entire coaching staff took part.
Malhotra said the bag skate is designed to show the coaching staff is not asking players to do something the staff would not do. He also timed it so players were already more tired following a prior battle-oriented segment.
The intensity carried into the public portions of practice, with Malhotra issuing instructions during drills loud enough for fans and media gathered in the stands to hear, the account says.
Defenceman Luke Schenn said he could not recall another time coaches took part in an endurance test traditionally reserved for players, describing it as a quick change in pace after a battle drill. Oleksiak said the practice moved quickly between situations with less time spent on instruction and more time preparing for the next segment.
The bag skate and overall emphasis also reflected what some players saw earlier in the organization. Braeden Cootes, a 19-year-old centre, said the coaching style at Vancouver’s development camp last season shared a similar mindset, including an emphasis on intensity.
Camp has been shaped by league-wide constraints that shorten preparation time. NHL teams are limited to four pre-season games this season, and with less time to build toward meaningful action, players are looking for clear direction that can be applied quickly on the ice.
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