Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland was the latest guest on "After Hours".
Over the past five years, Conor Garland has established himself as a leader on the Vancouver Canucks. The 29-year-old has 217 points in 357 games since joining the organization in 2021 and played a key role in Vancouver's playoff run just two years ago. As for this season, Garland has 22 points in 36 games while his 15 assists rank third on the current roster.
After the Canucks 6-0 loss on Saturday, Garland was the guest on Hockey Night in Canada's "After Hours". During the segment, Scott Oake read a viewer's question asking Garland if he wanted to stay through the rebuild or be traded to a contender. While the question was not an easy one, Garland did not shy away and gave a thoughtful answer about his future.
"Yeah, that's a tough question," said Garland. "It's a valid question. I think people look at something like that through the hockey lens. I've signed on to be on this team for another six years, which would be 11 years. And that's not something you do blindly and just sign the contract, don't think about it. So, I mean, I have a great connection to the city. I enjoy playing here. I want to get this team back to the playoffs and enjoy that feeling when you're on the run in a city like this. You know, my son was born here. My wife's expecting another baby in April, our first daughter, which is another thing that's in the city, and it really bonds you and your family to the city. So if that time comes, that's not something I'm taking lightly, or just, you know, I'm throwing it out there that I want to, you know, move on. It's something that, if that process ever happened, that'd be a long, long decision, and that's not something I'm thinking about right now. I'm thinking about our performance in two days."
As a follow-up to Oake's question, Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre asked if Garland was comfortable with what is currently happening with the organization. As of writing, Vancouver finds itself at the bottom of the standings and has lost 10 straight games. Just like with the previous question, Garland answered honestly and expressed how happy he is to be a part of the organization.
Jan 17, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland (8) shoots during warm ups prior to a game against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images"I would say I'm more emotionally mature than I was at 25 and 26 when I first went through those rumours. I think that affected my play quite a bit, having the uncertainty every day. I think I learned how to adjust to it and play with it, and then I started to play well, and I feel like I've played well consistently for a couple of years here. So, no, it's a process. It really is. You know, corny as that sounds, it is true. I just try to go about my day, and if that decision comes from them or for me, that's out of my control. And, you know, I do enjoy being a Vancouver Canuck. I love playing in the city, and that's first and foremost."
While Garland did sign a six-year extension in the 2025 off-season, his new deal does not kick in until next season. His next contract will have trade protection, but his current deal does not. This means that if the Canucks felt the best move forward was to move Garland, they can do so without restriction until July 1.
The 2026 trade deadline is scheduled for March 6 at noon PT. Vancouver is expected to be busy leading up to the deadline, as Jim Rutherford has made it clear that the organization is open for business. With the Canucks currently in a rebuild, experienced players could be on the move as Vancouver attempts to build a future contender.
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