Few NHL players get traded twice in four years and still land a $36 million contract. Conor Garland did both — and his move from Vancouver to Columbus at the 2026 trade deadline rewrites the trajectory of his career.
Team: Columbus Blue Jackets · Position: Right wing · Birthdate: March 11, 1996 (age 29) · Contract length: 6 years · Total contract value: $36,000,000 · Annual cap hit: $6,000,000
Quick snapshot
- Born March 11, 1996 in Scituate, Massachusetts. (Hockey-Reference)
- Plays right wing for Columbus Blue Jackets. (NHL.com Blue Jackets)
- Married to Madyson in August 2022. (Hockey-Reference)
- One daughter, born in 2023. (Hockey-Reference)
- Led Coyotes in goals (22) in 2019-20. (Hockey-Reference)
- Traded to Vancouver in 2021, then to Columbus on March 6, 2026. (NHL.com)
Nine key facts about Garland, drawn from league records and contract databases:
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Conor Garland |
| Date of birth | March 11, 1996 |
| Birthplace | Scituate, Massachusetts, USA |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Weight | 165 lb (75 kg) |
| Position | Right wing |
| Current team | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| Shoots | Right |
| NHL draft | 2014, 5th round (120th overall) by Arizona Coyotes |
The Blue Jackets acquired a top-six winger under contract through his age-36 season without subtracting roster players — a rare cap-flexibility win at the deadline.
How many children does Conor Garland have?
Conor Garland and his wife Madyson have one daughter, born in 2023, after the couple married in August 2022. (Hockey-Reference) He keeps his family life relatively private, but the move to Columbus brings his young family closer to his Massachusetts roots — Scituate is about 800 miles from central Ohio, a much shorter commute than Vancouver.
Garland’s family stability in Columbus matters for his on-ice output. A settled home life, especially with a young child, often correlates with consistent production — and the Blue Jackets are betting $36 million on that connection.
The implication: Garland now has the geographic proximity to his hometown that he hasn’t had since his Arizona days, and that could ease the transition for a player who changed teams twice in four years.
Why did the Canucks trade Conor Garland?
Vancouver traded Garland to Columbus as a salary-cap management move. The Canucks, facing a tight cap picture, included Garland in the deal to free up space for other roster moves. (NHL.com) Columbus did not receive salary retention from Vancouver in the trade, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
Garland was in the final season of a five-year, $24.75 million contract with a $4.95 million average annual value when the trade happened. (NHL.com) Moving his $4.95 million cap hit gave Vancouver immediate relief. The return — a 2026 third-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick — signals that the Canucks prioritized cap flexibility over draft position.
Vancouver cleared cap space but lost a player averaging 20 goals per 82 games. (NHL.com Blue Jackets) Columbus, meanwhile, added a proven scorer without giving up a roster player — a rare win-now move at the deadline.
What this means: the Canucks chose financial flexibility over Garland’s production, a bet that the cap space will yield a greater return than the 49-point-per-82-game pace he carried into the trade. (NHL.com Blue Jackets)
Vancouver traded a 49-point-per-82-game producer for two draft picks and cap relief — Columbus acquired the same player without retention and with a long-term extension already in place.
How much does Conor Garland make?
Conor Garland’s current NHL contract is a six-year, $36,000,000 extension with an annual cap hit of $6,000,000, signed on July 1, 2025 and beginning in the 2026-27 season. (NHL.com) The extension runs through the 2031-32 season and carries a $6 million average annual value. (ESPN)
For the remainder of the 2025-26 season, his cap hit is $4.95 million under the final year of his previous deal. (Spotrac) Starting in 2026-27, the cap hit jumps to $6 million per season. (CapWages) CapWages lists the 2026-27 salary at $8 million, part of the six-year, $36 million total.
The extension includes a full no-movement clause in the first three seasons, according to ESPN. That means Garland cannot be traded or sent to the minors without his consent through the 2028-29 season.
The pattern: Garland’s contract structure is a two-act deal — a $4.95 million bridge that expires this season, followed by a $6 million commitment that locks him in Columbus through his age-36 season. The Blue Jackets are paying for the prime years of a player who averages 20 goals per 82 games. (NHL.com Blue Jackets)
Is Conor Garland a free agent?
No. Conor Garland is not a free agent. He is under contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets through the 2025-26 season under his original five-year deal, and his six-year extension kicks in for 2026-27 and runs through 2031-32. (NHL.com)
His contract includes a full no-movement clause for the first three seasons of the extension (2026-27 through 2028-29) and a modified no-trade clause thereafter, per ESPN. That means Garland controls his destination for the next three seasons and retains partial control for the remainder of the deal.
The catch: Garland has had just two career chances at the Stanley Cup before the Columbus move, according to NHL.com Blue Jackets. His contract locks him into a Blue Jackets organization that is rebuilding — a tension between personal security and competitive ambition.
Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Garland is married to Madyson and they have one daughter. (Hockey-Reference)
- His contract: 6 years, $36,000,000 with a $6,000,000 cap hit. (ESPN)
- Traded from Vancouver to Columbus as a salary-cap move. (NHL.com)
- No salary retention in the trade. (The Columbus Dispatch)
- Garland had 324 career points and 535 NHL games at the time of the trade. (Hockey-Reference; NHL.com Blue Jackets)
What’s unclear
- Exact date of the trade execution beyond the March 6, 2026 announcement. (NHL.com)
- Specific reasons the Canucks chose Garland as the trade piece over other roster options.
- Whether Garland’s consecutive two-goal performances after joining Columbus are sustainable or a hot streak. (NHL.com Blue Jackets — medium confidence)
- How the Blue Jackets plan to deploy Garland long-term in their forward lineup.
The implication: the confirmed facts outnumber the open questions, but the sustainability of Garland’s early production in Columbus and the team’s long-term deployment plan remain the two variables that will define whether this trade looks shrewd or shortsighted three years from now.
Quotes from the trade
“I’ve only had two real chances at the Cup. I want to win.”
— Conor Garland, via NHL.com Blue Jackets
“The trade allows us to manage our cap structure and create flexibility for future roster moves.”
— Vancouver Canucks management, via NHL.com
Garland “wants to be part of something” in Columbus, according to a source close to the player.
The pattern across these voices: Garland sees Columbus as a competitive opportunity, while Vancouver frames the trade as a structural necessity. Both narratives can be true — and the Blue Jackets are the beneficiary of the mismatch.
What this means for Columbus
Garland arrives in Columbus with a $6 million cap hit, a no-movement clause, and a career average of 20 goals per 82 games. (NHL.com Blue Jackets) He produced consecutive two-goal performances after joining the team, a sign that his scoring touch translates immediately. For the Blue Jackets, the math is simple: they added a top-six forward without subtracting from the current roster, and they have him under contract through his prime years.
For the Canucks, the cap space is the prize. But the gamble is that they traded a 49-point-per-82-game producer for two draft picks and a balance sheet adjustment. (Hockey-Reference)
Columbus added a 20-goal scorer on a fixed $6 million hit through 2032 without surrendering a roster player — the Canucks bet that cap flexibility outperforms Garland’s production.
For a deeper look at Conor Garlands contract and trade details, including his family background and salary cap impact, this article provides a comprehensive overview.
Frequently asked questions
Is Conor Garland married?
Yes, Conor Garland married Madyson in August 2022. (Hockey-Reference)
Where did Conor Garland play college hockey?
Garland played junior hockey for the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL and did not attend college. He was drafted directly from the QMJHL by the Arizona Coyotes in 2014.
What is Conor Garland’s NHL 26 rating?
As of the 2025-26 season, Garland’s NHL 26 rating is not officially published. Ratings are typically released with each year’s edition of the EA Sports NHL video game.
How many points did Conor Garland score last season?
Garland scored 33 points last season, contributing to his 324 career points. (Hockey-Reference)
When does Conor Garland’s contract expire?
His current five-year contract expires after the 2025-26 season. His six-year extension runs through the 2031-32 season. (NHL.com)
What number does Conor Garland wear?
Garland wears number 8 for the Columbus Blue Jackets, the same number he wore with the Vancouver Canucks and Arizona Coyotes.
Is Conor Garland a free agent in 2026?
No. Garland is not a free agent in 2026. His six-year extension begins in the 2026-27 season and runs through 2031-32. (ESPN)
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Benjamin Clarke is Senior Reporter at Canada Perspective, covering daily news and breaking stories across Canada.