The Vancouver Canucks got to work on July 1, signing three of their core’s key pieces to new contracts. Conor Garland, acquired by the Canucks in 2021, signed a six-year deal on Tuesday that will keep him in Canucks blue and green until the 2032 season. Prior to this, his current contract would have expired at the end of the 2025–26 season. After his extension was made official, Garland met with the media to discuss why he re-signed.
“For me, it was a no-brainer, and I was fortunate it got done pretty quickly,” the forward said of his long-term extension. “I’ve been there for a long time now. I have some great relationships with people on the team, on the staff, that I’m just fortunate to be able to work with them for many more years ahead.”
One of the things that drew Garland to re-sign with the team was the city itself, which he has been very complimentary about virtually since starting his time in Vancouver. “I always loved living in Vancouver. I lived in a different town every year I’ve been there. I lived in Kits, lived in Gastown, I lived in Olympic Village this year, I lived right next to the rink. So I’ve moved around, and I enjoyed every spot. I like walking. I like walking on the beach, right near the water there.”
Bonds within the team were also a big talking point in Garland’s reason for staying. From the coaching staff to the players themselves, Garland has faith that this team has what it takes to be a winner.
“I believe in our management staff. I believe in our coaches, and I believe in the group we have, and I think we’re going to continue to get better, whether we add players or we have a great group of young guys coming up,” he said. “I was very interested in being on a team in a big market where we had that playoff run, you got the taste of what that’s like in a big city. And it’s an addicting feeling, winning a lot. I couldn’t imagine what it’d be like to win a cup in a city like that. So that’s what my goal is for the next seven years.”
Tuesday was a big day for Vancouver’s core, as along with Garland, Thatcher Demko and Brock Boeser signed new contracts. Both Garland and Boeser will be under contract until 2032, while Demko will be until 2029. With Elias Pettersson’s current deal also ending in 2032, that’s four of the team’s key players locked up for at least the next four years.
“It’s a really tight-knit group that wants to win and enjoys being around each other each and every day,” Garland said of the Canucks’ core. “We’re with that group for a long time. We’re gonna have a lot of fun, and we’re gonna try to win with that group. That’s something special, to be on the same team and with the same guys for an extended period of time. We’re really excited about sticking with each other for probably the next bit of our career.”
Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:
Vancouver Canucks Prospects Recap Day 2 Of Development Camp
Vancouver Canucks' Phil Di Giuseppe Signs With The Winnipeg Jets
The players aren’t the only ones that Garland believes in on the team. The forward has been outspoken about his support for new head coach Adam Foote, and doubled-down on that, and his belief in the head office, after signing his extension.
“When you know someone like Jim Rutherford’s in charge of our hockey — with Patrik Allvin as well — Jim’s won three cups, he’s in the Hockey Hall of Fame. We have [Adam Foote], he’s won two cups, a gold medal. They’ve won. They’re not going about it wondering how to win. They’ve won. So that’s a huge thing as a player. You want to be an organization like that and that you're viewed as a piece that can help the team win, and they’re going to make the moves that you feel can get your team closer to winning.”
Vancouver Canucks Forward Conor Garland Discusses The 2025–26 Canucks
Around a month ago, the Vancouver Canucks parted ways with former head coach Rick Tocchet. Two weeks later, the organization announced that assistant coach <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/vancouver-canucks-name-adam-foote-as-next-head-coach">Adam Foote</a> would be stepping into Tocchet’s role. Many members of the organization have expressed their approval over the hire, including Canucks forward Conor Garland. The Team USA forward, who recently <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/canucks-conor-garland-and-drew-o-connor-win-gold-marcus-pettersson-wins-bronze-at-2025-iihf-worlds">won gold</a> at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, joined “Canucks Brunch” on <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/650/">Sportsnet 650</a> to discuss the team’s new coach, as well as what the team may look like come the 2025–26 season.
It’s because of this belief that Garland sees victory in a team that seemed discombobulated throughout the 2024–25 season. From injuries to off-ice noise, the Canucks were entertaining this season — but not in the way they’d want to be. Still, despite missing multiple players throughout the season, the team made a spirited playoff push that ultimately came up short.
“We overcame a lot of adversity, but we were four points out [of playoffs] with all those injuries. I think we’re a pretty good hockey club. I think we’ve got a really good coaching staff. I think we’re in a great place to play. We have some really good pieces coming back. And I think the noise is a lot louder than what we feel in the room. So we’re a confident group. We’ve got to have a great summer. Guys got to get better, and guys got to train and come in ready to play, and we have a good training camp. I think we’ll feel really good about ourselves.”
Regardless of whether a team wins or loses, the outcome plays a big factor in establishing a team’s character — something that was evident in the Abbotsford Canucks’ Calder Cup victory last week. In his past four seasons as a Canuck, Garland has grown substantially as a player, which he also discussed during his Tuesday media availability.
“I probably learned most about consistency. I got there as a 25-year-old that was kind of just relying on producing and scoring, and that was when the pucks weren’t going in, or I wasn’t making plays, I wasn’t really helping our team out as much,” he said. “I was on a shutdown line for a year, and I think I’m definitely a more versatile player than I was when I got there. I credit that a lot to the coaches and our management and the staff that we have there to help work with me. But as a player, I just think I’ve grown in that sense.”
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.
