SportsHockeyCanucks

Conor Garland has proven early that he's the Vancouver Canucks best forward

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Oct 18 2025, 9:13 pm
Conor Garland has proven early that he's the Vancouver Canucks best forward
Sergei Belski/Imagn Images

Despite the Vancouver Canucks promising to exact revenge on Jason Dickinson, vitriol towards the Chicago Blackhawks centre was quiet on Friday night.

However, one Canucks forward did get a lick on him.

As everyone predicted, the forward listed at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds was the guy who inevitably got a shot at Dickinson.

Although Dickinson did return to the game, he missed Blackhawks practice on Saturday, and head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters that he’s listed as day-to-day.

While Canucks fans may be content with the fact that someone stood up for Filip Chytil, it’s just another moment in a long list of reasons why Conor Garland has been the Canucks best forward early in this campaign.

Heck, there’s a solid argument that his perch at the top of the unofficial Canucks forward power rankings stretches back all the way to last season.

After being a luxury third-liner during the Canucks successful 2023-24 season, the Scituate, Massachusetts native has been Vancouver’s most commonly-played forward at five-on-five since the beginning of last year.

That’s for good reason, as Garland has more points (54) than any other Canucks forward since the start of 2024-25 as well.

Through five games with the Canucks, he leads the team with four points in five games.

The 29-year-old especially came up big during the Canucks win over the Dallas Stars, backing up what he said right before the Canucks left on their road trip.

“Iā€™m playing fine, but youā€™ve got to bury your chances. Iā€™d love to let my play speak, but I missed four or five chances (Monday) to turn that game around. I have to keep creating, keep making plays, and hope they go in.”

“I always get chances. I donā€™t have many lulls.ā€

Garland only scored one against Dallas, but he could have buried three or four.

It’s not complicated to figure out why Foote has now entrusted Garland to be Elias Pettersson’s winger, something that the team should keep intact.

The two forwards have controlled play when they’ve been on the ice together since the beginning of last season, but the Canucks haven’t been rewarded for it.

Over the past 12 months, the Canucks have scored on only 6.4 per cent of their shots at even-strength with Pettersson and Garland together on the ice, even though they’ve controlled 62.7 per cent of expected goals.

Both players possess a sturdy two-way game, allowing them to match up against other teams’ best players.

However, if the Canucks want to unlock some of Pettersson’s offence, there’s no better forward on this team to pair him with than Garland.

Special teams staple

Not only is Garland earning his minutes and putting up the points, but he’s making an impact in all situations.

Garland began killing penalties under Rick Tocchet last season. Now, with Foote at the helm, Garland is the team’s top penalty-killing forward.

Garland PK ice time natural stat trick

Here’s how the Canucks have utilized their forward on the kill this season. (Natural Stat Trick)

Foote raved about the impact Garland could have on the kill prior to the season starting.

ā€œGarland played so well for the U.S. [at the World Hockey Championships last spring], he was the first guy over the boards over there. He will be getting a lot of workload, especially until our younger guys get the hang of it.”

While Garland has worked his way up the PK depth chart, he’s done the same with the man advantage.

During training camp, both Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Evander Kane got the first looks on PP1. It took just three games for Foote to bump Garland back up to the top unit.

This shouldn’t surprise you by now, but the Canucks top unit has three power play goals in two games since Garland got his man-advantage promotion.

He’s doing it all, and that includes being the go-to guy for postgame celebrations.

The Canucks would likely be in a better spot if Pettersson or Brock Boeser emerged as the team’s best forward as this season progresses, but that shouldn’t take anything away from how impressive Garland’s rise to the top of the team’s forward perch has been over the last 12 months.

ADVERTISEMENT