[FanIn80]

No. 4: Caleb Malhotra, C, 6-foot-1, 182 pounds, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

The 2026 draft class is somewhat thin on elite centres, but Malhotra is a player who I value a great deal. He is getting between 19 and 22 minutes per game of ice time for the Bulldogs and is a complete player who’s being deployed in all situations. Malhotra’s combination of speed, skill, smarts and compete stand out as projectable elements of his game that he will take to the pros. He’s trustworthy and can play up and down the lineup. Malhotra has produced 23G-38A so far this season and he’s plus-27 defensively. He could approach 100 points by the end of the year without sacrificing detail on the defensive side of the game.

NHL Projection: First-line forward. Deployed in all situations.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...026-nhl-draft/