The pros and cons of a potential trade between the NY Islanders and Vancouver Canucks for Connor Garland

The rumor mill has been swirling, and last night, NY Islanders fans were glued to their phones in anticipation of a potential trade. Stefan Rosner of The Hockey News posted on X that the Isles and Vancouver Canucks were in serious discussions regarding a trade surrounding Connor Garland. This morning, Rosner reported that talks have stalled, with Garland still a member of the Canucks.

There have been multiple reports of the Islanders showing interest in Garland, and while he'd be an immediate, on-ice upgrade for the Isles, is he the type of player the Darche should be targeting?

A case for Garland

Garland has been known for his skills on the puck since entering the league in 2018. He's a winger who can control the puck, capable of evading defenders while searching for a teammate's stick, known more for his playmaking abilities rather than his goal scoring.

Perhaps what makes Garland a good fit with the Islanders and Patrick Roy is his willingness to get involved on the forecheck. He's a high motor player, hounding the opposition in their own zone, trying to force an errant pass or strip the puck himself.

While never putting up big goal-scoring numbers, he's capable of adding a goal-scoring boost to the Islanders' top-six, typically hovering around 20 goals a season. His goal numbers are down this season, scoring just seven times in 49 games, but just about every player on the Canucks has had a down season.

A case against Garland

Garland comes with a cap hit of $4.9M this season, already signing an extension with Vancouver for six years with an annual cap hit of $6M. While Mathieu Darche is looking to add players with term, this is perhaps a bit too much term and a bit too much money for a 29-year-old averaging .59 points-per-game over his career.

Even with his solid possesion numbers, Garland is an undersized forward, standing 5'10" and weighing around 165 lbs. He has a unique ability to evade defenders, but once one gets a hold of him, he can be easily pushed off the puck.

Though he's missed 11 games this season, Garland has been incredibly durable throughout his career, missing just seven games over the previous four seasons.

Entering what looks to be a full rebuild, the Canucks will want to rid themselves of players with term, and despite just re-signing Garland, with a six-year contract kicking in, the price shouldn't be very high. The question really comes down to whether Darche is willing to pay the price necessary for a forward turning 30 who's not known as a goal scorer?