The 2025 off-season is an important one for the Vancouver Canucks. Not only do they need to fill some roster holes through trade and free agency, but it will be the organization's first opportunity to sign contract extensions that will kick in during the 2026-27 season. One of the players who is eligible to sign a new contract on July 1 is Conor Garland, who is entering the final year of his current deal.
After being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes, Garland signed a five year, $24.75 million deal with the Canucks. The contract carries an AAV of $4.95 million, which will count as 5.18% against the cap next season. With the cap expected to be above $100 million for the 2026-27 season, it is safe to assume that Garland will be receiving a raise regardless of the team he signs with.
Before looking at what a contract could look like, it is important to discuss why signing Garland is an important move for Vancouver. Not only has the 29-year-old delivered on the ice with 195 points in 321 games, but he has also become a leader in the dressing room. With the Canucks entering a new era, having Garland on the roster could be crucial to success, as he is one of the hardest working players on a nightly basis.
Now to the contract. At the time of writing, the cap is projected to be $104 million for the 2026-27 season, which would be an increase of $8.5 million compared to the 2025-26 season. It is also important to note that Vancouver will be carrying a dead cap hit of $4,766,667, which could impact their overall spending.
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If the Canucks want to keep Garland at the same cap percentage, his next contract would need to carry a cap hit of $5.4 million. Considering that the cap is going to continue to rise, it is likely that a contract extension would come in a bit higher. That is why a likely contract extension would be four years with an AAV of $6 million.
In 2026-27, a $6 million cap hit would carry a cap percentage of just over 5.7%. While this may be slightly high, it would drop to 5.3% the very next year, as the cap ceiling for the 2027-28 season is expected to rise to $113.5 million. Ultimately, if Garland can keep producing at a similar level, a $6 million cap hit could look like a steal in year three of the deal.
Ultimately, re-signing Garland should be a priority for Vancouver if they want to start building a contender. Not only can Garland provide between 45 and 50 points a season, but he has become one of the top two-wingers in the NHL. While a $6 million AAV may seem like a high price now, it could easily turn into a value contract as the cap continues to grow.
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