You do not typically see trades happen early on in the NHL season, but with Conor Garland‘s name being shopped around, the Jets have a clear opportunity to upgrade their middle six. An acquisition of Garland would come with plenty of upside for the 2023-24 Jets, as it has been reported that they are interested in adding Garland. Here are a few reasons why the Jets could benefit from a move to acquire him.
The Jets Are Reportedly Interested in a Conor Garland Trade
On Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman listed the Jets as a team that is interested in a trade for Garland. While this isn’t an official confirmation of a deal being discussed, it indicates that the Jets are looking to add to their middle six, whether that be for Garland or someone else.
After being a fifth-round pick of the 2015 NHL entry draft, the 27-year-old winger has put together an impressive career. He’s posted 195 points in 325 games, proving to be an effective scoring option for both the Arizona Coyotes and Vancouver Canucks in his six-year career. He’s a proven scorer, and while the Jets have improved their team defence this offseason, they may need to add a scorer to keep up with the high-flying contenders in the Western Conference.
The Jets announced to the hockey world that they are in win-now mode when they re-signed Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck to matching seven-year contracts worth $8.5 million in average annual value (AAV). With a majority of their players signed through the 2024-25 season, adding pieces to this core group of players is a likely option for General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and the management group.
Why a Conor Garland Trade Makes Sense for Winnipeg
The Vancouver Canucks want to free up cap space by moving off of Garland and his $4.95 million cap hit, which extends through the 2025-26 season. This means the Jets could get him for cheap, and especially cheaper than what his on-ice impacts would suggest. The Jets usually prefer to trade for players with term, such as the Nino Niederreiter trade from a season ago, who had two years left on his deal at the time.
Garland immediately impacts the middle-six and adds a scoring punch, and with the injury to Gabriel Vilardi in the Jets’ third game of the season on Tuesday, Oct. 17, the timing seems ideal. Rick Bowness told reporters that Vilardi will be out 4-6 weeks with a sprained MCL. In 81 games last year, Garland posted 17 goals, 29 assists, and 46 points on a struggling Vancouver Canucks squad.
His acquisition cost would be cheap, his scoring touch would be highly valued within the Jets’ deep and loaded forward core, and he has term which would see him continue as a Jet for years to come. It seems like a slam-dunk acquisition, with the only thing standing in their way being the salary cap.
Related: Canucks News & Rumors: Garland, Bear, Pettersson & More
Adding Garland right now may prevent the Jets from making an even bigger splash at the Trade Deadline, and that could result in them moving in a different direction. The other question is whether or not adding Garland moves the needle enough for the Jets to be considered contenders in the Western Conference. Those are the only disadvantages and make for a fun discussion when analyzing the potential of a deal between the Canucks and Jets.
Garland Would Add to an Already Deep Forward Group
After the acquisitions of Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and Niederreiter and Namestnikov from last season’s trade deadline, the Jets are currently icing one of the deepest teams they’ve ever had up front. Not only could they add to this group with a scorer such as Garland, but more names should become available near the 2023-24 trade deadline as teams look to sell and move on to next season.
With this depth being spread throughout the lineup, the Jets would be able to stack up with any team in the NHL when it comes to the bottom six. Their depth already improved when they moved off of PL Dubois, but this trade would improve it that much more.
Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor have put up stellar point totals to begin the season, and the depth has yet to really show up on the scoresheet, outside of the 6-4 win against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 14. Depth in the NHL is something you can never have enough of, and Garland is the perfect piece for the Jets to add early on in the season to help minimize the loss of Vilardi.
