Latest On Conor Garland

Within 24 hours of the trade deadline, Canucks winger Conor Garland is becoming one of the hottest names available. The Islanders made a significant push for him earlier in the week, and while they remain in the hunt to land him, they weren’t able to get a deal done then. That’s opened the door for more suitors to make themselves known. Pierre LeBrun of TSN relays that the Blue Jackets, Capitals, Devils, Sharks, and Bruins are pitching offers in addition to the Isles’ previously reported interest.

Garland isn’t the only Vancouver winger with term available. They’ve made it known that Brock Boeser and Jake DeBrusk can both be had, and all three players are signed through at least 2030-31. Garland has become the most likely name to move due to a lack of trade protection, though. There’s likely an urgency on Vancouver’s end to shuffle him out before that changes on July 1, too; he’ll have a no-movement clause commencing along with the six-year, $36MM extension he signed last summer that any acquiring team will be taking on in full.

Like every Canuck, this has been a season to forget for Garland. The soon-to-be 30-year-old is normally money in the bank for 15 goals and 45 points, but has only managed a 7-19–26 scoring line in 50 appearances. His 6.8% shooting rate is by far a career low and nearly four full points below his career average, though. Some positive regression is due.

Nonetheless, teams have never been keen on Garland as a finisher. His value comes from his playmaking ability and his high-end speed – plus a good degree of pot-stirring and physicality despite only checking in at 5’10” and 165 lbs.

Columbus has an apt top-nine, even if their team offense is right around league average. There isn’t so much a short-term need for Garland as there is a long-term one. A player with that much contractual security is attractive for a Blue Jackets team that has three of its top six players in terms of points-per-game this season slated for unrestricted free agency this summer. They’re looking to get deals done for all of Charlie Coyle, Boone Jenner, and Mason Marchment, but in the likely event they don’t go three-for-three, they’ll need some sort of insurance policy. That’s where Garland comes in.

Garland would be a similar long-term insurance policy for the Caps to make sure they don’t lose too much firepower if Alex Ovechkin opts to call it a career in the coming months. Of course, the 40-year-old is still Washington’s leading scorer with 24 goals and 50 points in 63 games, but has remained noncommittal about whether he’ll re-sign in Washington (he’s a pending UFA), return home to Russia to close out his career, or retire outright.

New Jersey has been clear about its desire to add an impact top-nine piece. They’re willing to dangle a defenseman to make it happen, but if they’re going to make 2022 #2 overall pick Simon Nemec available to Vancouver, they’ll likely ask for more than just Garland. Earlier today, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said any Devils blue-liner outside of Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce is available.

The Sharks have an excess of prospects and draft capital to leverage. For a Canucks team clearly headed toward something more resembling a full teardown than a retool, they could be well-positioned to provide the most attractive package – plus an already-established relationship after San Jose acquired Kiefer Sherwood from Vancouver just a couple of months ago.

That Boston would be interested in Garland, too, is no surprise considering they’ve also had some documented interest in a reunion with DeBrusk. The latter has been more productive and carries a slightly lesser cap hit, but, because of those two factors, might require a slightly richer price than Garland that they aren’t willing to pay.