Caleb Malhotra couldn't believe what he saw on draft day, and it wasn't even about himself.
The Vancouver Canucks' third overall pick opened up about teammate Adam Novotný in a recent interview with Marco D'Amico.
"I couldn't believe he was still up there," Malhotra said. "It was awesome. We got this absolute player."
Novotný fell all the way to 24th overall, a pick Vancouver acquired from Minnesota as part of the return in the Quinn Hughes trade.
That drop in draft position is exactly why Malhotra called him a steal, and early looks at development camp and the prospects showcase back that assessment up.
Malhotra and Novotný faced off against each other all last season in the OHL before finally sharing the ice together in Canucks uniforms at development camp this July.
That rivalry-turned-partnership already shows in how Malhotra talks about him, real respect built from years of competing on opposite benches.
Malhotra's own path has been anything but ordinary
Just two seasons ago, Malhotra was a 16-year-old playing for the Chilliwack Chiefs in the BCHL. Now he's heading to Boston University as the third overall pick in this year's draft.
"I want to be able to prove myself as a player in college and have an impact on this team," Malhotra said about his freshman season ahead.
He's also chasing a spot on Canada's World Junior roster this December, a goal that gained real momentum after his performance at the World Junior Summer Showcase.
"I want to play in that tournament. I want to be able to bring Canada gold," Malhotra said.
Because of NCAA rules, Malhotra isn't attending Vancouver's main training camp the way Novotný can as a major junior player, a quirk that separates their paths even as their draft classes stay linked.
Vancouver's rebuild leans heavily on both names carrying real weight down the road. How each develops on very different tracks, college hockey versus junior, will shape how fast that plan actually comes together.
Will Caleb Malhotra make Canada's World Junior roster this December?
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