The Vancouver Canucks are set to be the busiest team at the March 3rd trade deadline, as they will be having a fire sale on almost the whole roster. The Canucks have already begun their fire sale by trading away team captain Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders. General manager Patrik Allvin wasted no time as he got the deal done over a month before the deadline. Now expect Allvin to turn his focus to moving on from a handful of players, including forwards Brock Boeser and Conor Garland, as well as defenseman Luke Schenn and goaltender Thatcher Demko. Not many players will be safe. They could be on their way to a new team if the price is right.
Conor Garland is the latest name to join the trade rumors, as the 26-year-old has three seasons left on his deal at $4.95 million and does not hold any trade protection. While Garland isn’t having the season Vancouver hoped he would, he is still coming off a career year in 2021-22 that saw him record 19 goals, 33 assists, and 52 points across 77 games.
Here are three potential destinations for Garland this season:
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils have been a surprise team this season as they have finally figured things out. The Devils are sitting second in the Metropolitan Division and fourth in the NHL with a 32-13-4 record and 68 points. All the years of drafting in the front of the draft has finally paid off for the Devils, and now they are looking to add even more talent as they are 33 games away from a playoff run.
The Devils are looking to add a winger or two and could have an interest in Garland. Even though Garland is having a down season with nine goals and 24 points, at 26 years old, he’s already proven the talent is there to produce at a high level and will only get better as he enters his prime. Garland would be a nice addition to their top six, especially when paired with the talent the Devils already have in place.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres are an interesting team to watch as the deadline inches closer, and they are closing in on an Eastern Conference Wild Card spot. Buffalo is also looking for players with term left on their deals, and Garland checks that box as he has three years remaining on his current contract. The Sabres already have plenty of young weapons up front, and adding Garland would only improve their lineup by adding more scoring prowess.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals understand their playoff window is closing around their group of veterans, and adding players at the deadline is key to making another deep playoff run. It’s been made known they are in the market for a top-six forward, and while they have been linked to another Canucks forward in Brock Boeser, they are expected to have some interest in Garland as well.
Garland would cost less to acquire and is making almost $2 million less per season against the cap. While the Capitals will have some money to work with at the deadline, they are expected to be making multiple moves leading up to March 3rd. Expect to see the Canucks and Capitals linked to several trade discussions, and one will be a deal for Garland.
