Next on BSH’s community draft board is a well-rounded centerman who used a stellar debut OHL season to fly up draft boards, and put himself in position to become a top 10 pick, Caleb Malhotra from the Brantford Bulldogs.
The son of former NHLer Manny Malhotra, Caleb made the jump to the OHL after being a below a point per game scorer in the British Columbian Hockey League, a lesser Canadian Junior league. His 2026 with a star-studded Bulldogs team brought him to the forefront of this draft class, and he may in fact be the best center prospect in this year’s draft. He was one of the most impressive players in the OHL playoffs, and has assisted his rise to a player who very well may go inside the top three.
Pre-draft rankings
Ranked #6 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
Ranked #5 by Elite Prospects
Ranked #5 by Sportsnet (Jason Bukala)
Ranked #3 by The Athletic (Scott Wheeler)
Ranked #6 by The Athletic (Corey Pronman)
Statistics
What’s there to like?
Malhotra is a tantalizing prospect who makes a difference in every zone. Ever since his debut in the OHL, he has gotten better and better every month he’s played there, finding a role as a 2-way centerman who can compliment and accentuate the skill you place around him. He gets to the correct spots in the offensive zone and always seems to be open and available to make a play. His 84 points left him tied for 11th in the OHL during the regular season, second on his team behind 2025 first rounder Jake O’Brien, who he combined with to form a very formidable 1-2 punch at even strength and on the power play.
He plays responsibly and with poise in his own zone, and he’s built an evolving offensive game to go alongside it; complete with a sturdy skating stride that he can use to accelerate surprisingly quickly and beat defenders off the rush. His shot has developed into a weapon that can threaten goalies from anywhere if he’s allowed to get it off, and he isn’t afraid to go to the crowded areas to make a play. His combination of a sturdy frame and strong strides make him a handful to deal with for defenders, and he’s been tormenting them all year long.
Out of all draft eligible 17 year olds in the OHL, only Nikita Klepov had more points than Malhotra throughout the regular season. But the separator between Klepov and Malhotra is that the latter is a centerman, which in a draft dominated by high-end wingers and defensemen at the top, makes him very sought after.
As if scouts needed another reason to lust after a 6 ‘2, two-way centerman from an NHL bloodline, Malhotra turned it into high gear once the Bulldogs entered into the OHL playoffs. In just 15 OHL playoff games, Malhotra scored 13 goals to go along with 13 assists to match, for a whopping 26 points.The next highest 17-year old playoff scorer was Kitchener defenseman Alexander Bilecki, who tallied just 11 points.
He led Brantford in scoring, and drove the offense for a great team chocked with impressive talent that made a run to the conference finals. There were some really impressive moments for Malhotra, and only served to further the idea that there is still a long way to go in his development process.
His confidence continued to grow as the season wore on, and the fact that he projects as a sort of “jack of all trades” archetype that doesn’t really have any appreciable holes in his game, makes it so that if he continues to improve at a steady rate, he could end up being one of the more valuable players to come from this draft.
Oh, and his uncle is NBA Hall of Famer Steve Nash. So that’s cool.
What’s not to like?
Malhotra’s ascension to star prospect status has sort of come out of nowhere this season. He’s never played at the U-16 or U-17 level at an international level, and prior to this year, he was the 10th leading scorer on the Chilliwack Chiefs of the BCHL. And while yes, that is kinda just how things work when you’re talking about teenage athletes, it is worth wondering whether or not Malhotra will be able to replicate this sort of dominance when the level around him starts to rise.
He’s been able to do that thus far, but that is alongside a cadre of teammates who are elite, drafted prospects who are ready for the jump to the pros. O’Brien, Marek Vanacker, Adam Benak, Adam Jiříček, Charlie Paquette, Sam McCue, Ben Danford, and of course Jett Luchanko, are just some of the names that were on the star-studded Bulldogs team that was put together to try and win a Memorial Cup. Malhotra will have that again when he moves to Boston University for his 2026-27 season, but the competition will take a step up, too. For a guy that will likely go inside the top 5, and almost certainly be the first center off the board, there is some risk in putting your chips in on a player who just seemed to figure it out conveniently at the same time he started playing for a potential superteam.
Beyond that, there are some doubts on whether or not Malhotra’s offensive game can continue to be as effective as it was this season, or if his NHL ceiling is closer to a 50-60 point guy, rather than 70-80. It might sound dismissive, (and it largely is), but there is a chance that this is just a really impressive offensive heater, and the reality of the prospect is closer to what was originally thought of him at the start of the process. I think he’s an NHLer, the ceiling is where I have doubts.
How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?
Malhotra would be a dream for the Flyers, a potential heir to Sean Couturier as a two-way stalwart that could be a realistic first-line center if everything was to pan out. His style of play would suit Rick Tocchet’s system perfectly, and if you thought he loved Porter Martone immediately, Malhotra could be even more beloved by Tocchet. In some ways, Malhotra is tailor-made to be a Flyer in this day and age, and that is without even getting into his electric play off the rush.
Imagining a potential line of Tyson Foerster, Malhotra, and Owen Tippett just sounds wonderful in theory, and it may not even be the best one that the Flyers could hypothetically put together.
Malhotra would help bolster every single strong point that the Flyers currently have, while also helping on the power play. It would be seamless…
Could the Flyers actually get him?
…Unfortunately, that isn’t going to happen. If the rumblings are to be believed, Malhotra’s stock is still rising by the day, and the chance that he gets past the Canucks at pick No. 3 (whose AHL team is coached by Caleb’s father Manny), is very low. The Flyers would have to load up a really juicy trade offer to try and entice any team in the neighborhood of the top five picks to move, and then hope that Malhotra falls to them, in a similar vein as the draft that landed them Porter Martone.
Don’t hold your breath on that one.
What scouts are saying
“Malhotra is a very skilled center who can make a ton of creative plays. He’s fast and attacks with pace. He breaks down opponents one-on-one very well and is a great passer. There is a minor question about how truly dynamic his offensive game is, but he projects to put up points in the NHL. Malhotra competes hard, showing a detailed two-way game and potential to play difficult minutes as a pro. He projects as an all-around top-six center.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic
“Malhotra has been a riser throughout the season and he’s the top centre in the draft class. After producing 29 goals and 55 assists in 67 regular season games, he elevated further in the playoffs, contributing 13 goals and 13 assists in 15 games. He’s the kind of player who can be trusted in a variety of roles. When he isn’t producing offence, he can be counted on defensively. Malhotra finished his season with a plus-43.” – Jason Bukala, Sportsnet
Another player on the board, another player in the poll, this time it’s the big Latvian defender who impressed at the Olympics, Alberts Smiths.
“Smits is a tall defenseman with impressive mobility and smarts. He can make a reliable first pass and has a big point shot, projecting to have quality amounts of offense at the top level. He isn’t a super smart puck-mover, but there’s enough touch in his game to project to be reliable with the puck in the NHL. He defends very well due to his length and feet, while also competing hard and being willing to play the body. He projects as a top-pairing defenseman.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic
