The Edmonton Oilers start their season today (Oct. 11), and that means they’ve finally completed the finishing touches on what will be their opening night roster in a matchup against the Vancouver Canucks. Speaking of the Canucks though, a report came out on Tuesday (Oct. 10) stating that Conor Garland had been granted permission to speak with other teams around the NHL in an effort to help him facilitate a trade. Coming off of a solid season offensively and proving he can play sound defensively, he is still a good player and should get some interest around the league.
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For the Oilers though, there is no reason for them to try and make a trade work with the Canucks for Garland. Their team is quite strong as it is, so making any major changes to their lineup isn’t what they need if they hope to make a run at a Stanley Cup. While they will likely move some money around to try and make a trade at the trade deadline, Garland isn’t the guy they should be trying to bring in, even if the Canucks offer to retain 50 percent of his cap hit for the final three seasons of his contract.
Garland can play both right and left wing, and that makes him a bit more valuable. When the Canucks do eventually trade him to a new team, they will likely be able to get a mid-round draft pick and a minor-league player in return. If the Oilers were interested, due to their lack of cap space, they’d have to get rid of someone with a cap hit that equals whatever Garland’s is after retention. This would likely be either Warren Foegele, Brett Kulak, or Cody Ceci, who all shouldn’t be moved for him.
Who Is Conor Garland?
Garland is a 27-year-old forward from Scituate, Massachusetts who is currently with the Canucks and was drafted by the Arizona Coyotes in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft at 123rd overall. During his draft year, he exploded offensively with the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) where he scored 35 goals and added 94 assists for 129 points through 67 games. In his entire career with the Wildcats, he scored 104 goals and added 224 assists for 328 points through 206 games over four seasons which comes out to a 1.59 points-per-game average.
Garland made his professional debut in the 2016-17 season with the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League (AHL) where he scored five goals and added nine assists for 14 points through 55 games. He got his first taste of NHL action when he split the 2018-19 season between the Roadrunners and Coyotes, and became a mainstay at the NHL level with the Coyotes the following season. He finished his AHL tenure with 25 goals and 41 assists for 66 points through 131 games over three seasons with the Roadrunners which comes out to a 0.50 points-per-game average.
Garland was traded to the Canucks along with then-captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson prior to the 2021-22 season where he has remained ever since. He has put up just under 100 points with the Canucks in two seasons since joining them but now seems like he’s on his way out. Throughout his entire career split between two teams, Garland has scored 83 goals and added 111 assists for 194 points through 322 games which comes out to a 0.60 points-per-game average.
What Other Teams Could Acquire Garland?
There are a few other teams that make more sense than the Oilers to acquire Garland. The Boston Bruins have a lack of forward depth and need some help on the wings, but would also need to move some money to make it work. The Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Anaheim Ducks all have the money to make a move work, but a trade comes down to if any of them see a long-term fit with Garland who has three years remaining on his contract.
For me, I think the best place for him to end up is back with the Coyotes. I think Garland and the Coyotes would both be interested in a reunion, as it makes sense for him to join a rebuilding team where he can get a bigger role. The Coyotes have the cap space, so they might be able to get a draft pick out of the deal from the Canucks to take on his full contract and give the Canucks some relief.
While I am a fan of Garland and hope he succeeds wherever he is traded to, I don’t think it’s smart for the Oilers to sacrifice a player they already have penciled into their lineup to bring him in. This team the Oilers have now is championship caliber, and may only need a small tuneup come the trade deadline. Hopefully, Garland is given a chance to shine somewhere else in the NHL, but the Oilers just can’t make that work right now.
