Happy Memorial Day, I hope the holiday weekend has been fun despite the terrible weather here in New Jersey. As we enter the unofficial start to summer, we continue our series on top 2026 NHL draft prospects with a look at Caleb Malhotra. There is a very good chance that Malhotra is off the board by the time the Devils make their pick at 12th overall. But if he somehow slips to them, would Malhotra be a good choice for New Jersey? Let’s dive in and find out.
Who Is Caleb Malhotra?
Caleb Malhotra was born on June 2, 2008,
meaning he turns 18 next week. Listed at 6’2”, 183 pounds, he has the prototypical build of a future power forward once he fills out his frame. Malhotra is the son of longtime NHLer Manny Malhotra, who played 991 career games with seven different teams, mostly the Columbus Blue Jackets. Malhotra was never a high-level scorer, topping out at 35 points in 2008-09 with Columbus, but he was effective enough to last 16 seasons and almost 1,000 games in The Show.
His son Caleb, on the other hand, seems to have a good chance to develop into an elite-level scorer in the NHL. According to the invaluable Elite Prospects, Malhotra spent much of his youth career playing in the Vaughn Kings’ system, rising from their U14 AAA team to their U16 AAA team from 2021-22 to 2023-24. He then jumped to the Chilliwack Chiefs of the BCHL in 2024-25, posting eight goals and 26 points in 44 games.
This past season, he found himself in the vaunted OHL playing for the Brantford Bulldogs. Malhotra exploded in his first season playing at the top Canadian Junior level, registering 29 goals and 84 points in 67 total games. And not only did he not slow down in the playoffs, he elevated his game to even greater heights. In 15 playoff games, he scored a ridiculous 13 goals and 26 total points.
Malhotra does not have a particularly long track record of elite play at the junior levels, but his draft season in Brantford was very, very impressive. So impressive that he skyrocketed up draft boards leading into this June’s entry draft. And also so impressive that he secured an offer to play at Boston University, where he’ll continue to ply his trade in the fall under former Devil Jay Pandolfo.
Where Is Malhotra Ranked?
- #3 by Sportsnet (Constantino)
- #4 by McKeen’s Hockey
- #4 by The Athletic (Wheeler)
- #6 by TSN (Button)
- #6 by Daily Faceoff
- #6 by The Athletic (Pronman)
- #6 by NHL Central Scouting (North American skaters)
- #7 by Draft Prospects Hockey
- #12 by Smaht Scouting
- #20 by Dobber Prospects
What Others Have To Say About Malhotra
Let’s start with Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, who has Malhotra at fourth overall in his latest rankings. Wheeler had this to say about Malhotra:
Malhotra is already a very mature player, with good stick detail and sound and reliable habits at an early age. He plays with pace, skates well, puts himself in good spots and has an advanced feel for the game. He plays the game with a ton of poise, holding onto pucks and finding his way out of trouble with smart decisions over it. He has legit hands. He has shown more and more individual skill and has a real knack for making little plays with possession. He’ll go to the front of the net, and competes every shift. He’s also a summer birthday with clear physical development in front of him. He’s now viewed as the draft’s top center and could go as early as No. 2 or No. 3. He needs to fill out his frame, and his shot doesn’t come off hard, but those things should come and already have, and he has the rest of the tools needed to become a winning top-six center in the league.
As you would expect from the child of a former NHLer, Malhotra has a lot of hockey sense and feel for the game according to Wheeler. His skill and compete level draw praise here as well.
Next, let’s check out Sam Constantino over at Sportsnet. In his April 15 big board, Constantino had Malhotra at third overall, behind only Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg. Here’s his blurb on Malhotra:
This is the time of year when Malhotra shines. He seems to be at his best when the games are most important and most difficult. On a veteran-laden Brantford team up 3-0 in their second round series, he continues to get prime-time minutes in every situation. With plenty of room to pack pounds on to his frame, an NHL pedigree, and a two-way game that’s equally as good on both sides of the puck, Malhotra looks like a centre that an NHL team can build around.
There really isn’t that much here in the way of actual analysis of Malhotra’s game. Not much talk about his hockey sense, skating, skill, and so on. Instead, Constantino points out that he believes Malhotra is a big-game player, which might be music to the ears of some around here who feel the Devils need more of those. Malhotra certainly proved Constantino right with a crazy postseason run in the OHL this spring.
For a dissenting opinion, we’ll take a look at Dobber Prospects, who have Malhotra ranked the lowest by far of any publications listed at 20th overall. To be fair, Dobber Prospects’ latest rankings came in December, before Malhotra lit the OHL on fire and put up a monster postseason. I would not be surprised if Malhotra is way higher once they publish their pre-draft rankings. Nevertheless, here’s what they had to say about him:
Malhotra is such a likeable player because he plays a smart, responsible and detailed game. He is the linchpin that holds his line together letting his linemates go wild. Malhotra does not have many weaknesses. He’s a strong skater who competes hard and can both score and make plays. He would rank higher, but the scouting team is a bit concerned he might not have the high-end offense you’d hope to see of a potential top six C. Because of this, we’re not comfortable moving him up and view him more as a middle-six C option. There’s plenty of time left in the season for Malhotra to show more of the high-end skill we’d like to see and continue to ascend on draft boards.
I appreciate the explanation for why they have him so low compared to other rankings. Though once again, we see a publication pointing to Malhotra’s hockey sense and attention to detail as worthy of great praise.
Scouting The Tape
There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to Caleb Malhotra video, which is a good sign for any draft hopeful. First, here’s a shift-by-shift video of Malhotra’s game against North Bay Battalion on March 20. The video is over 18 minutes long, which is another good sign:
Here’s another shift-by-shift video for Malhotra from this past season (January 25 to be exact), in a game against the Barrie Colts. This one is over 22 minutes long. Are you sensing a pattern yet? Malhotra was getting a ton of ice time this past season, which is a great sign that his coaching staff really trusted him in all situations:
Finally, here’s an overall scouting report from the Youtube channel NHL Draft Pros:
My Opinion And Final Thoughts
As mentioned at the top, there is a good chance Malhotra is gone long before New Jersey is on the clock. The general consensus seems to have Malhotra somewhere in the top five, perhaps as high as third overall. This would place him well out of reach for the Devils.
That being said, we’ve seen draft slides before, and it’s not like a slide from roughly fifth overall to 12th overall would be a crazy fall. Perhaps teams picking ahead of New Jersey are wary of his relative lack of track record, posting only one legitimately high end season in his junior career. If that’s the case, he could be there for the Devils at 12th overall.
If Malhotra is there for New Jersey, I would be thrilled if the Devils take him. I’m a little concerned that he might have a limited ceiling, and in general I’m not crazy about taking low-ceiling/high-floor prospects high in the draft. I believe the top of the draft is the time to take swings on potential superstars, not third-line grinders. That being said, it’s not like Malhotra’s ceiling is that low, as many still see him projecting as a top of the lineup player. And presumably, Malhotra would have time to develop against lesser competition on a team with Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier ahead of him on the depth chart, with the hope that he can one day take on better and better competition as he grows as a player.
I would love if New Jersey could draft Malhotra. He’s the type of prospect that would be perfect at 12th overall.
Now that we’ve discussed Malhotra and I’ve had my say, it’s your turn to voice your opinion. What do you think of Caleb Malhotra? Do you think he will be available at 12th overall? If he is, do you want the Devils to take him? As always, thanks for reading!
