The Columbus Blue Jackets brought in playmaking right winger Conor Garland from the Vancouver Canucks before the NHL trade deadline. His six-year contract extension takes effect in July.
The Vancouver Canucks traded Conor Garland to the Columbus Blue Jackets as NHL trade deadline day begins on the East Coast.
The Blue Jackets sent Vancouver a 2028 second-round draft pick and a 2026 third-round pick in return.
"Conor is a versatile player who brings great energy to the lineup every night, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome he and his family to Columbus," Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell said in the team's announcement. "He has tremendous character, plays a reliable two-way game and will be an important part of our club now and in the future."
On July 1 of last year, the Canucks signed Garland to a six-year contract extension worth $6 million annually in hopes the team would rebound from missing the playoffs in 2024-25.
Now, the Canucks sit in last place by 12 points, and Garland's moving to another squad and conference before that contract even takes effect on July 1 of this year.
What Conor Garland Brings To The Blue Jackets
The 29-year-old right winger has seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 50 games this season. The playmaker had 19 goals and 50 points last season, and he's exceeded 40 points in each of the last four years.
Garland also averaged 1:52 of shorthanded ice time with the Canucks this season. His combination of strong secondary scoring, passing and two-way play is expected to make him an important puzzle piece on the Blue Jackets through the rest of his prime years and into his mid-30s.
The Blue Jackets beat the Florida Panthers 4-2 on Thursday, meaning they are now one point behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. They're 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and 12-2-1 since replacing coach Dean Evason with Rick Bowness.
Canucks Continue To Sell, Gather Assets For The Future
Vancouver previously traded captain Quinn Hughes, Kiefer Sherwood and Tyler Myers in the past three months, with the Myers deal happening on Wednesday.
Between those moves and the Garland trade, they brought in a first-round pick in 2026, a second-round pick in 2026, two second-rounders in 2027, a second-rounder in 2028, a third-round pick in 2026 and a fourth-round pick in 2029.
They also acquired Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren and Zeev Buium in the Hughes deal.
The Canucks now have multiple second-round picks in each of the next three drafts, on top of two first-rounders in June.
It's possible the Canucks aren't done trading, either.
Other players who have surfaced in trade speculation include Teddy Blueger, Evander Kane, Jake DeBrusk and Elias Pettersson. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Thursday that there's interest out there in Blueger, but it's quiet on the Pettersson front.
Earlier on Thursday, Vancouver traded AHL defenseman Jett Woo to the Sharks in exchange for defenseman Jack Thompson.
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