The Vancouver Canucks traded winger Conor Garland to the columbus blue jackets, the teams announced on Friday (ET), in exchange for a 2028 second-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick. Garland is 29 and in the final year of a five-year deal that carries a $4. 95 million annual cap hit, with no salary retention by Vancouver. The move comes as the Blue Jackets add a proven two-way forward to their lineup, a change framed by club leadership as both immediate help and a piece for the future.
Columbus Blue Jackets acquire Conor Garland — trade details
Under the terms disclosed, Vancouver sent Conor Garland to Columbus for a 2028 second-round draft selection and a 2026 third-round pick. The columbus blue jackets will receive a winger who has appeared in 535 career NHL games and compiled 129 goals and 188 assists for 317 points, per the club announcement. This season Garland has 7 goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 50 games, and he remains in the final season of his current five-year contract at $4. 95 million per year; the Canucks did not retain any salary in the deal.
Immediate reactions and direct quote from management
Don Waddell, the Blue Jackets’ President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, issued a statement welcoming Garland and stressing the player’s fit with the roster. “Conor is a versatile player who brings great energy to the lineup every night and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome he and his family to Columbus, ” Waddell said. “He has tremendous character, plays a reliable two-way game and will be an important part of our club now and in the future. “
Quick context and what comes next
Garland joined Vancouver in a trade during the 2021 off-season and has produced consistently at the NHL level; his career totals include 317 points in 535 games. The Canucks earlier signed Garland to a contract extension that is set to take effect in a future season, a detail noted in team records tied to his tenure with Vancouver. The Blue Jackets have acquired a player who combines secondary scoring with defensive responsibility as they aim to bolster their forward group down the stretch.
Operationally, Columbus will begin integrating Garland into its lineup immediately; coaching decisions, deployment and ice-time adjustments will follow in the club’s next roster sessions. Expect lineup announcements and deployment plans from the Blue Jackets as early as the next team practice and in the games that follow, with staff assessing how Garland’s two-way play fits special teams and in-game matchups. The trade shifts the Canucks’ asset picture into future draft capital while the columbus blue jackets add an experienced, high-energy forward to pursue present and near-term objectives.
