BRYCE Gibbs says the best way Carlton players can honour Mick Malthouse's looming AFL coaching record is with a win against Collingwood this Friday night.

Malthouse will coach his 715th VFL/AFL game this round, taking him one match clear of legendary Collingwood coach Jock McHale.

Gibbs said Malthouse's record-breaking game would be "a fantastic occasion", with Carlton expected to be bolstered by the return of Chris Judd (hamstring) and Troy Menzel (calf).

"Carlton-Collingwood is already a massive game and a massive build-up and this is going to be an extra special week for Mick and for us," Gibbs said.

Malthouse has said the lead-up to his record-breaking game has been "a burden" on him, and Gibbs said the Carlton coach had downplayed the occasion with his players.

"I think that the most pleasing thing for the players and Mick will be if we can send him off with a win," Gibbs said.

"It's Carlton-Collingwood, it's a big game regardless of whether there's a milestone being broken this week.

"He certainly doesn't want to put the focus all on him.

"We've got a job to do still and we'll be looking to get the four points."

Carlton CEO Steven Trigg last week questioned whether Malthouse had the energy to coach beyond the end of this season when his contract with the Blues expires.

But Gibbs said Malthouse's passion for coaching still burned strongly.

"He's more enthusiastic and looking forward to coming to work every day from what I can see," he said.

"He'll be fine."

Gibbs said Malthouse's strength as a coach was his ability to relate to players, coaches and club staff.

"He's just a really good people person. He's come into the club and he builds such strong relationships with the players and with the people around the club," Gibbs said.

"It's amazing, he definitely gets the best out of you, the best out of his players, the best out of the coaches, the best out of people around him as a whole.

"He's just a fantastic person to have around the place."