The Vancouver Canucks are hoping that their former king of face-offs can turn around the team's dismal record in this area.

Retired centre Manny Malhotra is rejoining the team as its new development coach.

The Canucks.com website didn't hide the fact that the team ranked last in the league in face-off percentage. Malhotra has the best percentage in team history in this regard, winning more than three of every five face-offs during his three years with the team.

Last year, Malhotra wound up his career with the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League after 18 years in the National Hockey League.

In March 2011, Malhotra's career appeared to be in jeopardy after he took a puck in the eye, requiring emergency surgery. He surprised the fans by returning to uniform later that year in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The next year, he and Jason Garrison became the first Canucks in history to march in the Vancouver Pride parade. Malhotra's presence generated pandemonium among some fans lining Denman Street for the event.

In 2013, the Straight posted an article questioning if Malhotra might become a member of the Canucks management team after he was placed on the injured-reserve list. However, Malhotra was in no mood to retire at that time.

Malhotra comes from a family with impressive educational credentials: both his parents have doctorates. His father Shadi obtained more than 100 patents; his mother Lise, a francophone, obtained her PhD in biochemistry. Malhotra's brother-in-law is retired basketball star Steve Nash. And his father's family roots go back to Punjab, which made Malhotra particularly popular among Canucks fans of Punjabi descent.