Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks have been trying to move Conor Garland since the offseason, but have been unable to find a taker. He is a skilled forward who has fit in okay with the Canucks, but has not really lived up to the potential he had when acquired from the Arizona Coyotes.
The 27 year old winger had scored 39 points in 49 games in his last season with the Coyotes. He was just 24 years old at the time and playing on a bad team, so the Canucks obviously hoped he could become a near point per game scorer for them if given the right spot in the lineup.
He had been given the opportunity, but hasn’t really put up the numbers expected of him. But he hasn’t been bad. He scored 19 goals and 52 points in 77 games in his first season with the Canucks, and had 17 goals and 46 points in 81 games the following season. He has also had 21 points in 20 games at the World Championships over the past two offseasons, displaying plenty of scoring touch at a high level of competition.
Could he find his game again in a new scenario like Montreal? With Kirby Dach out for the season, Alex Newhook likely plays a lot of center this season, and that could open up a top six winger spot. Playing on a line with Cole Caufield could lead to Garland piling up assists once again.
The downside is he has three years left on his contract, including this season, with a cap hit of $4.95 million. Trading Armia would ideally open up cap space for the Canadiens, but this trade adds money for three seasons. It could also lead to a big reward if Garland clicks in the Habs top six and shows off his offensive skills and playmaking abilites.
The Canucks have to realize at this point they won’t be getting a big return for Garland. Could they be happy to just clear a little cap space and have far more room for the 2025-26 season? If so, an Armia for Garland swap would make sense.