The Detroit Red Wings are in a fantastic spot right now. At the time of this writing, they have a 31-16-4 record and are in second place in the Atlantic Division standings. With this, there is certainly a good chance that they will snap their nine-year playoff drought this year.
However, while the Red Wings should be happy with where they are at this point in the season, they also should still be looking to add to their roster. This is especially so when noting that the Red Wings have roughly $30 million of current cap space and just under $60 million of trade deadline cap space, according to PuckPedia.
One of the Red Wings’ biggest needs right now is another top-six winger. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, one player who stands out in a big way as a potential target for the Red Wings is Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland.
Because of this, we here at Heavy Sports have a trade pitch that would have the Red Wings acquire DeBrusk from the Canucks in a big swap.
Red Wings Get:
- Conor Garland
Canucks Get:
- 2026 First-Round Pick
- 2027 Sixth-Round Pick
- Dmitri Buchelnikov
Canucks Willing to Listen to Trade Offers for Garland
The Canucks are currently at the bottom of the NHL standings with a 17-28-5 record and 39 points. With this, they have made it known that they are rebuilding and have already traded former captain Quinn Hughes and forward Kiefer Sherwood this season. Yet, more of their players should be on the move before the deadline, and Garland could be one of them.
During Jan. 15’s episode of TSN Insider Trading, Chris Johnston mentioned Garland as among the players who the Canucks are open to hearing trade offers for.
“The Canucks have all sorts of things on the table,” Johnston said. “Elias Pettersson, maybe a Conor Garland, Jake DeBrusk. They’re willing to listen on any of these guys.”
The Canucks being open to hearing offers for Garland is understandable, as he would have the chance to land Vancouver a nice return in a potential swap. Furthermore, with Garland turning 30 in March, he may not be the best long-term fit on a Canucks club that is ready to rebuild.
Garland Would Give Red Wings’ Forward Group a Nice Boost
If the Red Wings acquired Garland, there is no question that he would improve their forward group. The Massachusetts native is an impactful top-six winger when playing at his best and could thrive on a team with plenty of talent like Detroit.
When looking at the Red Wings’ current roster, Garland could slot nicely in their top six. Furthermore, because of his strong two-way play, he would also give the Red Wings another option to work with on both their power play and their penalty kill.
Garland would also be more than a rental for Detroit if acquired, as his six-year, $36 million contract extension does not kick in until next season. With this, he would be a strong long-term fit on a Red Wings team on the rise.
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