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= Eastern Area Command ( RAAF ) =
Eastern Area Command was one of several geographically based commands raised by the Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ) during World War II . It was formed in May 1942 , and controlled units based in New South Wales and southern Queensland . Headquartered in Sydney , Eastern Area Command was primarily responsible for air defence , aerial reconnaissance and protection of the sea lanes within its boundaries . The area continued to function following the end of the war , transferring its headquarters to Glenbrook , in the Blue Mountains , in 1949 . By this time most of the RAAF 's operational units were based within Eastern Area 's boundaries . It was re @-@ formed in October 1953 as Home Command ( renamed Operational Command in 1959 , and Air Command in 1987 ) under the RAAF 's new functional command @-@ and @-@ control system .
= = History = =
= = = World War II = = =
Prior to World War II , the Royal Australian Air Force was small enough for all its elements to be directly controlled by RAAF Headquarters in Melbourne . When war broke out , the RAAF began to decentralise its command structure , commensurate with expected increases in manpower and units . Between March 1940 and May 1941 , Australia and Papua were divided into four geographically based command @-@ and @-@ control zones : Central Area , Southern Area , Western Area , and Northern Area . The roles of the area commands were air defence , protection of adjacent sea lanes , and aerial reconnaissance . Each was led by an Air Officer Commanding ( AOC ) who controlled the administration and operations of all air bases and units within his boundary .
Central Area was disbanded in August 1941 and its responsibilities divided between Southern Area , Northern Area , and the newly formed No. 2 ( Training ) Group . The outbreak of the Pacific War resulted in Northern Area being split in January 1942 into North @-@ Western and North @-@ Eastern Areas , to counter separate Japanese threats to Northern Australia and New Guinea . Southern Area was also considered appropriate for division owing to its size , so the Air Board proposed assigning responsibility for operational and maintenance units within New South Wales to a new area command , Eastern Area , which would also assume control of units in southern Queensland from North @-@ Eastern Area .
Headquartered in the Sydney suburb of Edgecliff , Eastern Area Command was formed on 15 May 1942 under the leadership of Air Vice Marshal Bill Anderson . Staff numbered 114 , including forty @-@ five officers . Training units in New South Wales remained part of No. 2 ( Training ) Group . No. 5 ( Maintenance ) Group was formed in Sydney on 1 June , and took responsibility for all maintenance units initially controlled by Eastern Area Command . In September , the Allied Air Forces commander in the South West Pacific Area , Major General George Kenney , formed the majority of his US flying units into the Fifth Air Force , and most of their Australian counterparts into RAAF Command , led by Air Vice Marshal Bill Bostock . Bostock exercised control of Australian air operations through the area commands , although RAAF Headquarters continued to hold overarching administrative authority , meaning that Bostock and his area commanders were ultimately dependent on the Chief of the Air Staff , Air Vice Marshal George Jones , for supplies and equipment .
Of necessity , the RAAF 's two northerly area commands were primarily responsible for bombing and air defence , while the other commands focussed on maritime patrol and anti @-@ submarine warfare . Aircraft from Eastern Area flew over 400 patrol , anti @-@ submarine , and convoy escort missions in January 1943 . By April , the command was operating seven combat units : No. 5 Squadron , flying army cooperation missions with CAC Wirraways out of Kingaroy , Queensland ; No. 23 Squadron , flying dive @-@ bombing missions with Wirraways from Lowood , Queensland ; No. 24 Squadron , flying dive @-@ bombing missions with Wirraways from Bankstown , New South Wales ; No. 32 Squadron , flying reconnaissance and bombing missions with Lockheed Hudsons from Camden , New South Wales ; No. 71 Squadron , flying maritime reconnaissance and anti @-@ submarine missions with Avro Ansons from Lowood ; No. 73 Squadron , flying maritime reconnaissance and anti @-@ submarine missions with Ansons from Nowra , New South Wales ; and No. 83 Squadron , flying fighter missions with Wirraways from Strathpine , Queensland . Area headquarters staff numbered 626 , including ninety @-@ nine officers . Bristol Beauforts of No. 32 Squadron were credited with damaging a Japanese submarine on 19 June , but neither the RAAF nor the Royal Australian Navy was able to destroy any enemy submarines in coastal waters during 1943 .
Anderson handed over command of Eastern Area to Air Commodore John Summers in July 1943 . Group Captain Alister Murdoch became senior air staff officer ( SASO ) . On 22 October , Avro Lancaster Q @-@ for @-@ Queenie , piloted by Flight Lieutenant Peter Isaacson , " buzzed " the Eastern Area headquarters building in Edgecliff before flying under the Sydney Harbour Bridge , flouting regulations and becoming the largest aircraft to pull such a stunt . The same month , the Air Board proposed carving a new area command out of Eastern Area , which by then was considered too large to be controlled by one headquarters and therefore ripe for division . The new command , to be known as Central Area , would have been responsible for training and operational units in southern Queensland ; the War Cabinet deferred its decision on the proposal . The concept was raised again in August 1944 , and this time Central Area Command was to control maintenance units , as well as training and operations , in southern Queensland ; once again , nothing came of the proposal .
Air Commodore Alan Charlesworth was appointed AOC Eastern Area in December 1943 . Japanese submarine activity had decreased in the months prior to Charlesworth taking command , and he was concerned that Allied ships were becoming complacent . He observed " a general slackening off in procedure ; ships are seldom where they should be , and a minority of merchant ships identify themselves to aircraft " . The RAAF 's patrols had also settled into a predictable pattern that an observant submarine captain could easily avoid . Charlesworth relinquished command in September 1944 to take over North @-@ Western Area . In December , aircraft from Eastern Area took part in the search for the German submarine U @-@ 862 , but could not prevent it sinking the Liberty ship Robert J. Walker on Christmas ; a Beaufort of No. 15 Squadron , based at Camden , located the wreck . No. 32 Squadron lost a Beaufort with its crew shortly after takeoff from Lowood during the search for U @-@ 862 , which was called off in January 1945 . That month , Air Commodore Leon Lachal became AOC Eastern Area , and held command for the duration of the Pacific War .
= = = Post @-@ war activity and reorganisation = = =
Following the end of the Pacific War in August 1945 , South West Pacific Area was dissolved and RAAF Headquarters again assumed full control of all its operational elements , including the area commands . According to the official history of the post @-@ war Air Force , the AOC Eastern Area was considered " Australia 's senior operational airman " and delegated by the Chief of the Air Staff with day @-@ to @-@ day responsibility for the nation 's air defence . Most of the RAAF 's bases and aircraft employed in operations were situated within Eastern Area 's sphere of control in New South Wales and southern Queensland . Air Commodore Frank Lukis succeeded Lachal as AOC in December 1945 . By the end of the month , headquarters staff numbered 1 @,@ 122 , including 104 officers . No. 82 ( Bomber ) Wing came under the control of Eastern Area Command in April 1946 , when it moved to RAAF Station Amberley , Queensland ; initially operating B @-@ 24 Liberators , the wing re @-@ equipped with Avro Lincolns soon after . By this time Eastern Area headquarters occupied seven mansions in Point Piper , Sydney ; it subsequently relocated to Bradfield Park . Lukis retired from the Air Force in May , and Charlesworth took over command .
In July – August 1946 , Eastern Area Command oversaw the establishment of No. 86 ( Transport ) Wing , operating C @-@ 47 Dakotas , at RAAF Station Schofields , New South Wales , displacing No. 78 ( Fighter ) Wing , which moved to RAAF Station Williamtown , and began operating P @-@ 51 Mustangs . The following month , Air Vice Marshal Jones proposed reducing the five mainland area commands ( North @-@ Western , North @-@ Eastern , Eastern , Southern , and Western Areas ) to three : Northern Area , covering Queensland and the Northern Territory ; Eastern Area , covering New South Wales ; and Southern Area , covering Western Australia , South Australia , Victoria and Tasmania . The proposal was part of a much larger plan to restructure the post @-@ war RAAF ; the Federal government rejected the plan and the wartime area command boundaries largely remained in place . Lachal succeeded Charlesworth as AOC Eastern Area in October , and held command until his retirement from the Air Force in July 1947 .
Lachal 's successor as AOC Eastern Area , Air Vice Marshal Frank Bladin , was responsible for preparing the transfer of its headquarters from Bradfield Park to the former <unk> Hotel at Glenbrook in the Lower Blue Mountains , a process that was completed in 1949 . As well as commanding a view of the surrounding countryside , the property was within five kilometres ( three miles ) of the City of Penrith and thirty kilometres ( twenty miles ) of RAAF Station Richmond , and incorporated a disused railway tunnel that offered , according to government correspondence , " complete protection from Atom Bomb attack " . An adjoining property , " Briarcliffe " , was purchased soon afterwards to augment the new headquarters ' accommodation facilities . Bladin completed his term as AOC Eastern Area in October 1948 . Air Vice Marshal John McCauley was appointed AOC in March the following year . McCauley commanded Eastern Area during the early years of the Malayan Emergency , and oversaw the deployment of No. 90 ( Composite ) Wing to administer RAAF units stationed there — a Lincoln squadron detached from No. 82 Wing and a Dakota squadron from No. 86 Wing . Having re @-@ equipped with de Havilland Vampire jets , No. 78 Wing departed Williamtown for garrison duties with the RAF on Malta in July 1952 . In May 1953 , Eastern Area 's SASO , Group Captain Frank Headlam , announced that the Air Force was planning to re @-@ equip No. 82 Wing with English Electric Canberra jet bombers , and also procure CAC Sabre swept @-@ wing jet fighters .
The Federal government retired Air Marshal Jones in 1952 and replaced him with Air Marshal Donald Hardman , RAF , who proceeded to re @-@ organise the RAAF command @-@ and @-@ control system along functional lines , establishing Home ( operational ) , Training , and Maintenance Commands in October 1953 . The first was re @-@ formed from Eastern Area Command as it was considered the RAAF 's de facto operational organisation . The second was re @-@ formed from Southern Area Command , as it was the hub of training services , controlling those in New South Wales and Queensland as well as Victoria and South Australia . The third and last functional command was formed from the extant Maintenance Group headquarters in Melbourne . The transition to a functional system was completed in February 1954 , when the three new commands assumed control of operations , training and maintenance from Western , North @-@ Western , and North @-@ Eastern Areas .
= = Aftermath = =
The functional commands established in 1953 – 54 were revised in 1959 . Home Command was renamed Operational Command , and Training and Maintenance Commands merged to become Support Command . Operational Command was renamed Air Command in 1987 , and three years later Support Command split into Logistics Command and Training Command . Throughout the evolution from Home to Operational to Air Command , the headquarters remained at Glenbrook in the Blue Mountains . In 1997 , logistics management became the responsibility of Support Command ( Air Force ) , the RAAF component of the Defence @-@ wide Support Command Australia ( later subsumed by the Defence Materiel Organisation ) . Training Command was re @-@ formed as Air Force Training Group , a force element group under Air Command , in 2006 . Air Command thus became the sole command @-@ level organisation in the RAAF .
= = Order of battle = =
As at May 1944 , Eastern Area controlled the following squadrons :
No. 11 Squadron , equipped with Consolidated PBY Catalinas , based in Rathmines
No. 21 Squadron , equipped with Vultee Vengeances , based at Camden
No. 32 Squadron , equipped with Bristol Beauforts , based at Lowood
No. 107 Squadron , equipped with Vought Kingfishers , based at St. George 's Basin
= Nels Nelsen =
Nels Nelsen ( 3 June 1894 – 3 June 1943 ) , born Nils Johan Nilsen and sometimes incorrectly referred to as Nels Nelson , was a Norwegian @-@ born Canadian ski jumper and later ski jumping organizer . He was among the world 's best ski jumpers during the 1920s , and held the world record of 73 meters from 1925 to 1930 . Born in Salangen , he moved with his family to Revelstoke , British Columbia , in 1913 . He quickly became the town 's best ski jumper , making his debut in the town 's Big Hill in 1916 . He competed throughout Canada and the United States , and became Canadian champion five times . Despite holding the world record at the time , he was not allowed to participate in the 1928 Winter Olympics because the officials did not find it suitable for him to have to work his way to Switzerland .
Nelsen worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway , and moved to North Vancouver , British Columbia , where he raised a family . Nelsen lost his hand in a hunting accident in 1933 , and was forced to retire as a ski jumper . He continued as an organizer , and was among other things president of the Western Canada Amateur Ski Association and later vice @-@ president of the Canadian Amateur Ski Association . In 1948 , after Big Hill had been expanded , it was renamed Nels Nelsen Hill . Nelsen was inscribed in the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1971 and the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame in 1983 .
= = Early and personal life = =
He was born Nils Johan Nilsen to a Norwegian family in <unk> in Salangen on 3 June 1894 , as the oldest of six children . As a child , Nelsen was an active skier and ski jumper , with more than fifteen ski jumps located in the area . In 1913 , his family emigrated to Big Eddy near Revelstoke . Once in Canada , he anglicized his name . His brother , <unk> Nilsen was also a champion ski jumper , and became among other things Boy 's World Champion in 1922 . <unk> , who chose not to <unk> his last name , was known for his supreme style , while Nels was better known for his length . Nelsen married Emma Pickard , with whom he had ten children . Except for a brief period as a ski instructor , he worked as a brakeman and conductor for the Canadian Pacific Railway , whose flexibility made it <unk> to participate in tournaments . He moved to North Vancouver where he raised his family .
= = Athletic career = =
Nelsen won the home @-@ town Winter Carnival Tournament , setting the hill record of 56 meters ( 183 ft ) in Big Hill in the inauguration tournament in 1916 . With this and subsequent better distances , he would hold the hill record in Revelstoke until 1932 . In 1916 , he won the Championship of Canada Ski Jumping Contest , which he would subsequently defend every year until 1920 . He continued by setting the Canadian amateur record in 1920 , and breaking it again in 1921 and 1923 . He was among the most successful jumpers in Canada from 1916 to 1925 , taking home most trophies . Among his methods to improve his jumps was placing pieces of lead at the front or back of the skies to give optimal balance .
Nelsen traveled throughout Canada and the United States to attend ski jumping competitions . In British Columbia , he attended competitions in Nelson , Trail , Rossland , Princeton , Kamloops , Sandon , <unk> , Kimberley and Cranbrook . In Alberta , he attended tournaments in Calgary , Edmonton , Banff and Camrose ; in eastern Canada in Ottawa and Montreal . In the United States , he attended events in Mount Rainier and Leavenworth in Washington ; Dillon , Steamboat Springs and Denver in Colorado ; Salt Lake City ; and Brattleboro , Vermont . He became Canadian champion five times , in 1917 , 1918 , 1919 , 1920 and 1922 . His various best jumps were Canadian records from 1916 to 1932 .
During the 1925 Winter Carnival Tournament , Nelsen , sick with influenza , set a world record at the Big Hill . Jumping 73 meters ( 240 ft ) , the record remained until it was broken by Adolph <unk> at Bernina @-@ <unk> @-@ Schanze in Switzerland in 1930 , who jumped 75 meters ( 246 ft ) . However , Bob Lymburne was able to again claim the world record for the Big Hill , when he jumped 82 meters ( 269 ft ) in 1932 . Although accepted as a record , it was not at the time favored in Europe to stress distance records . This was because it was regarded that simply building a larger hill would undoubtedly give a longer jump , and in part because such records did not take style into consideration . Nelsen and Melbourne McKenzie planned to travel to St. Moritz , Switzerland , to attend the 1928 Winter Olympics , but lack of funding meant that they planned for work for their fare on a freighter . These plans were stopped by officials from the British delegation , who felt it was inappropriate and not fitting for the team , and Nelsen never competed in any Winter Olympics . Nelsen kept his amateur status , but did well against professionals those times he competed against them . During the winter of 1932 , he worked as a ski instructor in Quebec . In a hunting accident in 1932 , he lost an arm , and never jumped again .
= = Organizer career and legacy = =
After arriving in Revelstoke , Nelsen was instrumental in the establishment of Revelstoke Ski Club and the Big Hill located within Mount Revelstoke National Park . In 1927 , he helped establish a ski jump in Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver . After his accident , he started working to establish Field Ski Club in Field , British Columbia , where he spent time between trains . He promoted a strict adherence to the amateur code , and stated that debates regarding professionalism were disruptive for the United States National Ski Association .
Traditionally , governing of skiing in Canada was split between the Canadian Amateur Ski Association ( CASA ) and the Western Canada Amateur Ski Association ( <unk> ) . Nelsen was the latter 's president , and after years of rivalry , which even reached the point where they did not recognize each other , Nelsen eventually was part of the negotiation for an amalgamation which took into consideration the needs of the western clubs . Nelsen subsequently became vice @-@ president of CASA from 1934 .
He died of heart failure in Field on 3 June 1943 — his 49th birthday . In 1948 , after Big Hill had been expanded , it was renamed Nels Nelsen Hill . Nelsen was inscribed in the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1971 , the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame in 1983 , and the following year in the BC Sports Hall of Fame .
= Manny Malhotra =
Emmanuel " Manny " <unk> Malhotra ( born May 18 , 1980 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre , who is currently an unrestricted free agent who last played with the Lake Erie Monsters in the American Hockey League ( AHL ) on a try @-@ out basis . He previously played in the NHL for the Montreal Canadiens , Carolina Hurricanes , Vancouver Canucks , San Jose Sharks , Columbus Blue Jackets , Dallas Stars and the New York Rangers . Malhotra is known as a two @-@ way forward and for his faceoff proficiency .
= = Playing career = =
Malhotra was drafted in the first round as the seventh overall pick of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers . He joined the NHL after a two @-@ year career in the Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ) with the Guelph Storm , with served as captain in his final year . Winning a J. Ross Robertson Cup championship and subsequently appearing in the 1998 Memorial Cup with the Storm , Malhotra also earned a Bobby Smith Trophy , George Parsons Trophy and Memorial Cup All @-@ Star honours as a junior .
He played with the Rangers from 1998 to 2002 . During this time he was assigned on numerous occasions to the team 's AHL affiliate , the Hartford Wolf Pack , with whom he won a Calder Cup championship in 2000 . At the 2001 – 02 trade deadline , he was dealt to the Stars and spent parts of three seasons with the club . Beginning in 2003 – 04 , Malhotra began to see increased offensive production , marked by his acquisition off waivers by the Blue Jackets . After four seasons in Columbus , he signed a one @-@ year contract with the Sharks in September 2009 . He recorded a career @-@ high in goals with San Jose , before joining the Canucks on a three @-@ year deal . In his first season with Vancouver , Malhotra suffered a major injury to his left eye , requiring several surgeries . Despite having lost a significant amount of his vision , he returned the same year to compete in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals . He struggled to play with the injury until Canucks management placed him on the injured reserve for the remainder of the 2012 @-@ 13 season in February 2013 .
Internationally , Malhotra has represented Canada in under @-@ 18 competition , two World Junior Championships and one World Championship . Serving as team captain at the 2000 World Junior Championships , Malhotra led Canada to a bronze medal .
= = = Guelph Storm = = =
After playing minor hockey with the Mississauga Reps of the Metro Toronto Hockey League ( <unk> ) , After being selected in the first round ( 17th overall ) of the 1996 OHL Priority Selection , Malhotra played two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ) with the Guelph Storm , beginning in 1996 – 97 . He scored 16 goals and 44 points over 61 games in his rookie season . In the 1997 playoffs , he added 14 points in 18 games as Guelph lost in the semifinals to the Ottawa 67 's . The following season , he improved to 16 goals and 51 points over 57 games . He served as team captain while being assigned the primary role of shutting down opposing team 's top forwards . Guelph advanced to the OHL Finals , where they defeated Ottawa in five games to capture the J. Ross Robertson Cup . Malhotra had 13 points in 12 games in the championship @-@ winning playoff season . Earning a berth into the 1998 Memorial Cup , Guelph made it to the final , where they lost to the Portland Winter Hawks 4 – 3 in overtime . Malhotra ranked third in tournament scoring with a goal and seven points over five games . He was named to the Memorial Cup All @-@ Star Team and was awarded the George Parsons Trophy as the tournament 's most sportsmanlike player .
= = = New York Rangers = = =
In the off @-@ season , Malhotra was drafted by the New York Rangers in the first round , seventh overall , of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft . The Rangers scouted him as a strong , physical player with good hockey sense and character , comparing him to Adam Graves . He was surprised to have been selected by the Rangers , as they were one of the only teams to have not interviewed or met with him prior to the draft . He anticipated being drafted by the Calgary Flames at sixth overall , as the team 's general manager , Al Coates had previously drafted him into the OHL as general manager of the Storm .
With the 1998 – 99 approaching , Malhotra had not yet signed an NHL contract with the Rangers by October . League rules stipulated that if he did not sign by October 8 , 1998 , he would be required to return to junior for the entire campaign . The night before the deadline , Malhotra and the Rangers agreed to a three @-@ year deal worth the rookie @-@ maximum of $ 975 @,@ 000 with performance @-@ based incentives that could have increased his salary to $ 2 million . Making the immediate jump from junior to the NHL at the age of 18 , he became the second player of Indian heritage to play in the NHL . Malhotra recorded eight goals and 16 points over 73 games as a rookie .
During the season , the Rangers were interested in acquiring Vancouver Canucks forward Pavel Bure . It was reported that Canucks general manager Brian Burke had requested Malhotra to be involved in a trade that would have sent him along with Niklas Sundstrom , Dan Cloutier and the Rangers ' first @-@ round pick in the 1999 draft in exchange for Bure . However , Rangers general manager Neil Smith refused to include Malhotra and the deal never materialized .
The following season , he struggled to earn a regular spot on the Rangers ' roster and was often a healthy scratch . Rangers head coach John Muckler publicly declared before the beginning of the Malhotra 's second NHL campaign that he would be nothing more than a career third @-@ liner . Malhotra 's potential was often at the centre of an ongoing dispute between Muckler and Smith .
Malhotra suffered an ankle injury in November that sidelined him for four games . Upon his recovery , his play was judged by team management to have suffered and he began to be benched . Meanwhile , the Canadian national junior team wanted the Rangers to loan him to them for the 2000 World Junior Championships . On December 12 , 1999 , general manager Neil Smith obliged and assigned Malhotra for the international tournament . He was then sent for a two @-@ week conditioning assignment with the Rangers ' American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate , the Hartford Wolf Pack . On March 14 , 2000 , he was sent back down to the OHL on March 14 , 2000 , in order to retain his eligibility for later AHL assignment in the season . Malhotra had dressed for only four games in the two months between his return from the World Junior Championships in early @-@ January and his junior reassignment . He was pointless in the 27 games total he played with the Rangers that season .
Returning to Guelph , he played in five regular season and six playoff games . Upon his junior club 's first @-@ round playoff elimination , he was reassigned to the Wolf Pack where he recorded a goal and six points over 12 games to finish the regular season . He then added three points in 23 post @-@ season contests , helping the Wolf Pack to the franchise 's first Calder Cup championship .
Malhotra returned to the Wolf Pack the following season after failing to make the Rangers ' roster out of training camp . With New York deep at the centre position , his AHL assignment was predicated on him learning to play wing . He received numerous call @-@ ups to New York and finished the 2000 – 01 campaign with 11 points over 28 games in the AHL and 12 points over 50 games in the NHL . The season also marked a management change as Glen Sather took over as general manager , marking the departure of Smith , who had drafted Malhotra and regarded him as <unk> during his tenure .
Fifty @-@ six games into his 2001 – 02 season with the Rangers , Sather dealt Malhotra to the Dallas Stars at the trade deadline , along with winger Barrett <unk> , in exchange for forwards Martin Rucinsky and Roman Lyashenko . Although he had established himself as an effective <unk> and defensive forward , Malhotra did not materialize into the offensive player the Rangers hoped he would be .
= = = Post @-@ New York = = =
Malhotra welcomed the trade to Dallas as an opportunity for more playing time , as he was sparsely used with the Rangers . However , he saw limited success with the Stars . Following his trade , he recorded one point , a goal , in 16 games to finish the 2001 – 02 season . He was re @-@ signed by Dallas to a two @-@ year contract on June 27 , 2002 . In 2002 – 03 , he recorded 10 points over 59 games . He appeared in his first Stanley Cup playoffs as the Stars qualified for the 2003 post @-@ season as the top seed in the Western Conference . They were eliminated in the second round by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim .
After going pointless in nine games early the following season , the Stars waived Malhotra on November 19 , 2003 . Two days later , he was picked up by the Columbus Blue Jackets . Malhotra improved with the Blue Jackets , notching 12 goals and 25 points over 56 games following the trade . He missed the final six games of the regular season with a bruised ankle . His ice time rose from an average of nine minutes a game with Dallas the previous season to 14 minutes in Columbus .
Due to the NHL lockout , Malhotra spent the 2004 – 05 season overseas in Europe . He initially signed with HDD Olimpija Ljubljana of Slovenia on October 8 , 2004 , and recorded 27 points over 26 games ( including both Slovenian league and inter @-@ league play ) . On December 12 , he signed with HV71 Jönköping of the Swedish Elite League . He notched seven points in 20 games with the club .
Returning to Columbus as NHL resumed play the following season , Malhotra spent 2005 – 06 centering Columbus ' third line . Despite missing 24 games due to injury with back spasms in November and a shoulder injury in January , he improved his points total for the second straight NHL season with 10 goals and 21 assists . The Blue Jackets re @-@ signed him in the off @-@ season to a three @-@ year contract on June 20 , 2006 . In the first year of his new contract , he tallied nine goals and 25 points over a full 82 @-@ game season .
Malhotra missed 11 games with a recurring knee injury in December 2007 . Late in the 2007 – 08 season , on March 17 , 2008 , he recorded a career @-@ high three points in one game ( two goals and an assist ) in a 4 – 3 win against the Detroit Red Wings . He finished the campaign with 11 goals and 29 points . Early in the 2008 – 09 season , Malhotra missed five games with a lower @-@ body injury . He recorded a career @-@ high 24 assists and 35 points over 77 games during the campaign . As Columbus was plagued with numerous injuries over the course of the season , Malhotra was used on various lines while also in a shutdown role , playing against top opposing forwards .
His contract was not renewed by the Blue Jackets in the 2009 off @-@ season and he became an unrestricted free agent . After failing to sign with an NHL team , Malhotra accepted an invitation to the San Jose Sharks ' training camp on September 17 , 2009 . Five days later , he signed a one @-@ year , $ 700 @,@ 000 deal with the team . He went on to record a career @-@ high 14 goals and plus @-@ 17 rating , along with 19 assists for 33 points , in his only season with the Sharks . He centred the team 's third line and earned time playing wing on the powerplay . The Sharks did not re @-@ sign him , however , and he became an unrestricted free agent for the second consecutive summer on July 1 , 2010 . Looking back on his time in San Jose , Malhotra called it the " most enjoyable season [ he 's ] had as a pro , " being able to play for a winning team and have a long playoff run for the first time in his NHL career .
= = = Vancouver Canucks = = =
On his first day of free agency on July 1 , 2010 , Malhotra signed a three @-@ year , $ 7 @.@ 5 million deal with the Vancouver Canucks that included a no @-@ trade clause . Malhotra was named an alternate captain during away games for the Canucks before the season began . He scored his first goal as a Canuck on October 22 , during a 5 – 1 win against the Minnesota Wild . Malhotra settled into to the Canucks ' lineup as the team 's third @-@ line centre , often playing with wingers Raffi Torres and Jannik Hansen , while playing significant time on the penalty kill and matching up against opposing team 's best forwards . His success as a defensive specialist earned him early consideration for the Selke Trophy as the league 's best two @-@ way forward . In an article on the NHL 's website , he was chosen as the front @-@ runner for the award at the mid @-@ way point of the campaign . He was also credited with allowing the team to use Ryan Kesler in a more offensive role ( Kesler was the team 's previous shutdown centre ) ; as a result , the second @-@ line centre recorded career @-@ highs in goals and points .
Near the end of the season , Malhotra was struck in the eye by a puck during a game against the Colorado Avalanche on March 16 , 2011 . He immediately left the ice and underwent eye surgery the following day . It was announced on March 21 , 2011 that Malhotra would not be returning to the lineup for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs , without further comment on Malhotra 's condition . Eight days later , he underwent a second successful surgery on his eye . Limited to 72 games , Malhotra recorded his third consecutive 30 @-@ point season with 11 goals and 19 assists , while playing on the Canucks ' third line with Raffi Torres and Jannik Hansen . His 61 @.@ 7 % faceoff percentage ranked second in the league behind David Steckel . The campaign also included the 100th goal of his NHL career , scored in a 3 @-@ 0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on March 6 , 2011 .
On a team @-@ basis , Malhotra 's first season with the Canucks saw them earn the Presidents ' Trophy for having the best regular season record in the league . In the midst of his recovery , Malhotra made an appearance during the team 's pre @-@ game ceremony at Rogers Arena , co @-@ accepting the trophy with captain Henrik Sedin . Despite original statements from the team that he would not return for the playoffs , Malhotra began working his way up from light practices with the team in May 2011 . By the end of the month , he was cleared by doctors to play in the Stanley Cup Finals . Though he remained out of the lineup for Game 1 , he returned for the following contest and played the rest of the series as the team 's fourth @-@ line centre ( late @-@ season acquisition Maxim Lapierre filled in for Malhotra on the third line ) . Playing against the Boston Bruins , the Finals went to a seventh game , which the Canucks lost . Malhotra 's regular season performance earned him six first @-@ place votes out of 125 for the Selke Trophy . He ranked fifth in balloting , as teammate Ryan Kesler won the distinction at the year @-@ end Awards Ceremony .
Having lost a significant amount of his vision in his left eye , Malhotra struggled in his first full season since the injury in 2011 – 12 . He was supplanted as the Canucks ' third @-@ line centre by rookie Cody Hodgson and later Samuel Pahlsson . Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault assessed Malhotra during the season as " not the same physical player he was before , " adding that " He 's still contributing but not maybe to the degree that he was before he got injured . " Playing left wing on the fourth line , he remained an integral part of the team by playing on the penalty kill and taking important defensive zone faceoffs . Near the end of the campaign , Malhotra was chosen as the Canucks ' nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy , an annual NHL award for perseverance , sportsmanship and dedication to hockey . With a diminished offensive role , Malhotra finished his second season in Vancouver with 7 goals and 18 points over 78 games , as well as a -10 plus @-@ minus rating . He remained among the league 's elite in terms of faceoffs , however , ranking fourth with a 58 @.@ 5 % percentage .
Continuing to struggle with his eye injury , Malhotra was put on the injured reserve a month into the 2012 @-@ 13 season . Fearing for his long @-@ term health , Canucks general manager Mike Gillis took him out of the lineup for the season , a decision that he described as the " hardest thing [ he has ] done in [ his ] job . " Malhotra had appeared in nine games without recording a point .