RUMOR: The NHL's Next Blockbuster Trade Revealed

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Travis Neil
October 23, 2023 (11:38 PM)

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At the start of the season NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman reported that this NHL player has been allowed to talk to other teams.

Potential Blockbuster Garland Trade

Vancouver Canuck's Conor Garland has been rumored to be shipped out of Vancouver for over a season now, but the wait might be over.

Garland has a large cap hit of $4.95 million per season until the 2025-26 season and for many teams that is a cap hit that is hard to acquire, as Kevin Weekes reported the Canucks may be willing to hold some of Garland's salary in order to make a trade happen.

I'm told with Conor Garland recently changing his representation, and Vancouver's willingness to retain near 30% of his salary, there's some increased potential trade partners.

There is one player that is in the same boat as Garland in Washington. Anthony Mantha has been in and out of the lineup for the Capitals due to poor play.

Mantha is making $5.7 million per season, however, the Canucks could not take the full price of Mantha on even if they don't hold any of Garland's salary which complicates things some more.

A Much Needed Fresh Start for Both

Both of these players have struggled mightily since joining their respective teams.

Mantha when he has played for the Capitals has not looked good, in 121 games over 4 seasons now with the Capitals, Mantha has only collected 58 points during that span.

When the Capitals acquired him at the deadline for Richard Panik, Jakub Vrana, a 2021 first round pick and a 2022 2nd round pick. When they acquired Mantha, they had penciled him into the middle six hoping for a 50-60 point pace but that has not been the case.

Conor Garland who was a member of the Arizona Coyotes prior to being traded to the Canucks, was looking like a really solid goal scorer in the league despite his size.

In 163 games with the Canucks, Garland has seen some success but not where the Canucks have wanted, he has 100 points in that span. Much better numbers than Mantha with the Capitals but Garland is not a long term member for the Canucks vision of the future.

Garland was traded along with Oliver Ekman-Larson for Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel, a 2021 first round pick, a 2022 2nd round pick and a 2023 7th round pick. A lot to give up especially with OEL being bought out.

Both players are in desperate need of a new home.

As Seen on Pro Hockey Rumors - Latest On Conor Garland