Conor Garland rumours are heating up and the Leafs are reportedly involved
A report coming out of Vancouver on Thursday has linked the Maple Leafs to the Canucks yet again and, given the frequency in which the Leafs have been scouting the Canucks in recent weeks, there might be some fire behind the smoke.
While the Leafs have been linked to multiple players in Vancouver this season, including former 5th overall Maple Leafs pick Luke Schenn and feisty winger J.T. Miller, a Canucks reporter has suggested that perhaps the Leafs are scouting another winger in Vancouver.
The Buds have long been rumoured to be looking for an upgrade on the wing in their top-six, and while Miller would certainly be that over Alexander Kerfoot, Conor Garland might actually be the better overall fit for the Leafs. In fact, the Leafs are believed to have already made a pitch for Garland once before - when he was still a member of the Arizona Coyotes.
Per Patrick Johnston of the Vancouver Sun, the Leafs had attempted to acquire Garland this past summer, but since they did not have the room to also accommodate the contract of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the Coyotes elected to deal with the Canucks.
If the Leafs wanted Garland in the summer, it stands to reason that they'd still want him now. The 25-year-old is not large in size, at just 5'10 and 165 lbs, but he plays with edge and his heart is on full display every night. He's the type of player that Leafs Nation could come to embrace in a real hurry, and he has 4 more years at $4.95M remaining on his current deal.
Alexander Kerfoot, being a Vancouver native, could be a really good fit for the Canucks, and if they agree to take his contract back in a package deal (1 more year at $3.5M after this one) along with a pick and a prospect, then the Leafs would essentially only absorb $1.45M of Garland's deal both this year and next. That's very palatable, especially if Jake Muzzin spends the remainder of the season on LTIR and the Leafs still have room to add an additional piece or two.
There's a chance that a deal like this one doesn't happen until the offseason, but with the Leafs looking for an upgrade for the playoffs who has some term remaining, perhaps they'd be willing to pay a little extra to push the deal through at or ahead of the deadline. Colour me intrigued.
| POLL | ||
MARS 3 | 228 ANSWERS Conor Garland rumours are heating up and the Leafs are reportedly involved Would you like to see the Leafs nab Conor Garland at the deadline? | ||
| Yes | 120 | 52.6 % |
| No | 70 | 30.7 % |
| Show me the results | 38 | 16.7 % |
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