Conor Garland is available, and the kind of player the Maple Leafs would need to give up is obvious now
Photo credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images
Conor Garland has reportedly been made available in trade discussions, and could be a marquee addition for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Vancouver Canucks have already been reported to be a team that could be in selling mode as the Canucks currently sit seventh in the Pacific Division with a 10-13-3 record.
Elliotte Friedman reported a few days ago that the Canucks were looking to move out veterans, with Kiefer Sherwood a likely target for teams, and that they want a return that helps Vancouver sooner rather than later.
While Quinn Hughes has been reported as "near untouchable" in trade talks, some other veterans who have been key to Vancouver have been reported to be possible trade pieces, and a new report suggests a new name emerging in Conor Garland.
What Vancouver is really looking for in a Conor Garland trade
According to David Pagnotta of 'The Fourth Period', Conor Garland is a player the Canucks are reluctantly open to dealing, and his report reinforces Friedman's reporting that Vancouver's intent is to add roster talent rather than prospects and picks.
Garland, 29, has six goals, nine assists, & 15 points in 21 games this season for the Canucks, having tied for second in points last season with 50.
The one question mark surrounding Conor Garland, and one that will make for some intrigue, is Garland's size at 5'10, with some sources listing him as shorter. Brad Treliving has been a proponent of adding size and viewing it as an important part of the game.
Treliving has made exceptions in Toronto with Matias Maccelli and Troy Stecher, and in Calgary with Johnny Gaudreau and Dillon Dube, but those were players who either had some physical shutdown grit, or produced on offense.
Garland would fall more towards the latter, although he plays with a good amount of energy, his best comes from being offensively skilled.
Friedman named a few teams that are believed to have interest, including the Minnesota Wild, Boston Bruins, & Philadelphia Flyers.
Which Maple Leafs forwards actually match Vancouver's asking price
The Toronto Maple Leafs may have one advantage in this deal in being able to make a trade involving NHL players rather than futures.
The Leafs prospect pool lacks top-end prospects, but contains a strong crop of players already on the roster, giving the team more competitiveness making a roster deal vs a prospect deal.
The Canucks are reported to want roster pieces, but that doesn't mean they couldn't hypothetically take on a pick or prospect to make a deal work.
Toronto could offload a player like Matias Maccelli as a swap on the wing, or perhaps the expiring Bobby McMann, who has played on the top-six at points this season.
Garland is in the final year of a deal at $4.95M, signed to an extension for $6M that kicks in next season and goes until 2032.
With Toronto's limited salary room, roughly $225K in available cap space, they may need to move more than one forward to make a deal happen. Maccelli's $3.43M and Max Domi's $3.75M are obvious contracts to look at as starters.
Although Toronto's mentality has been "win-now", they may have an easier time making a trade that involves a roster player, and a Garland-style trade could help both teams with their short-term roster goals.
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