- Caleb Malhotra says the Jets never met with him at the combine in Buffalo
- Some rankings have him as high as No. 2, and Winnipeg picks eighth
- Read below for details and video of the top center in the draft
The Winnipeg Jets didn’t sit down with Caleb Malhotra in Buffalo.
Malhotra told The Sporting News on Saturday that the Jets skipped a combine interview with him entirely. Some scouting services rank him as high as second in the class, and Winnipeg holds the eighth overall pick.
That’s a strange combination. Teams use combine week to talk to anyone who might realistically be on the board when they pick, and Malhotra figures to be right in Winnipeg’s range.
He put up 29 goals and 84 points in 67 games for Brantford this season, then added 26 more in 15 playoff games. He’s committed to Boston University for next year, and NHL Central Scouting has him sixth among North American skaters.
His name carries some weight too. Malhotra is the son of Manny Malhotra, who was just named head coach of the Canucks. Vancouver picks third, so the family storyline is already a big one heading into draft night.
Catch Malhotra’s video interview with Daily Faceoff on draft pressure and playing for his dad:
It’s 15 minutes of video covering everything from his draft year to the Bulldogs room.
So why would the Jets pass? Maybe they expect him to be gone before No. 8. Maybe they want a defenseman with the pick. Or their scouts aren’t sold on him, which would be the most interesting answer of the three.
Winnipeg just finished 35-35-12 and missed the playoffs while ranking 26th in goals. A skilled young center is exactly what that roster needs.
One interview in Buffalo got dark. A team asked Malhotra whether he’d kill the person next to him for a water bottle if they were stuck on a desert island. Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now passed the story along:
Round 1 goes June 26 at KeyBank Center, with Gavin McKenna expected to go No. 1 to the Leafs. If Malhotra starts sliding on draft night, the first clue came out of Buffalo this weekend.
