Sometimes the best move is the one you donsa国际传媒檛 make.
For the Vancouver Canucks, not trading Conor Garland is Exhibit A.
It was no secret that the Canucks were facing a salary cap issue at the start of last year and Garlandsa国际传媒檚 name was always mentioned in trade rumors as someone the club would like to move.
Heading into this summer, many believed that Vancouver simply could not afford the luxury of having Garland on the roster with a cap hit of $4.95 million per season for the next three years.
There were no takers when it came to Garland but that didnsa国际传媒檛 mean that everything had settled down for him as the season approached.
Reports surfaced at the start of the year that 27-year-old forward had requested a trade (which he later denied) and that permission was given to his agent Judd Moldaver by the Canucks to find a deal.
Fortunately for the Canucks, nothing ever materialized.
While most outsiders will focus on the All-Star quintet of Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser and Thatcher Demko in terms of the teamsa国际传媒檚 success, Garlandsa国际传媒檚 play in anchoring a line that features Dakota Joshua and Teddy Blueger has been a major reason why the Canucks sit on top of the NHLsa国际传媒檚 overall standings with 80 points after Tuesday nightsa国际传媒檚 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Rogers Arena.
Just as he did the day prior to the season-opener when he refused to answer questions around the alleged trade demand and stated how he was just focused on playing hockey, Garland again downplayed the whole situation during the game day skate on Thursday saying that was sa国际传媒榣ong time agosa国际传媒� and sa国际传媒榠tsa国际传媒檚 not that big of a dealsa国际传媒� when the topic was broached.
But according to an earlier report, it was an extremely difficult start to the season for Garland and it was Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet who helped Garland navigate through it.
sa国际传媒淗e (Tocchet) tried to block out the noise and keep me day to day. Those first six games were pretty tough on me sa国际传媒� especially that first road trip. Any time I was in a tough spot, I could lean on him and guys in the room to understand the situation I was in,sa国际传媒� Garland told The Provincesa国际传媒檚 Ben Kuzma.
Tocchet was effusive in his praise when asked about Garlandsa国际传媒檚 contributions to the teamsa国际传媒檚 success this season sa国际传媒� especially when taking into account what happened in October.
sa国际传媒淛ust from where he has come from the beginning of the year (and his) mental state. The way he has dug in and arguably been one of our best forwards the last two months. Everyone looks at points (27) and points are great but the way he plays consistently game in and game out (and) the way he can drive a line and the way hesa国际传媒檚 kept with it. He could have easily gone the other way and he didnsa国际传媒檛 and I give him a lot of credit,sa国际传媒� explained Tocchet.
The pair do have some history together as Tocchet coached Garland during his first three seasons in the NHL starting in 2018.
sa国际传媒淚 had him when I was a kid in Arizona. He was the major reason I was able to sign the deal that I did as I worked with him in my contract year. He helped me improve so much as a player and as a person. That year did wonders for my game. Now Isa国际传媒檓 an older player and working with again has been great,sa国际传媒� said Garland, who scored 12 goals and added 27 assists for 39 points in 49 games in that contract year during the Covid-shortened 2020-21 season.
Garland, Blueger and Joshua have arguably been one of the NHLsa国际传媒檚 best third lines this season. The trio play in a sa国际传媒榯ight trianglesa国际传媒� as Tocchet has described in the past and read off of each other well. The trio has provided secondary scoring to the club while also playing solid defensively.
sa国际传媒淭hey (Blueger and Joshua) are both responsible defensively and that gets you ice time no matter what. When the coach can trust all three of you and when you can score, now yousa国际传媒檙e getting ice time when you are down a goal too. We take a lot of pride in being a line that can be out there in both situations. If we need to score one late, we will, and if we have to get a puck out late, we will. We feel confident in our abilities on both sides. We just stick to the system. We do what works for us as a line and we donsa国际传媒檛 get too full of ourselves. We donsa国际传媒檛 start to change into being sa国际传媒榮killed playerssa国际传媒� once we get results. We just play as a line and it works even when pucks donsa国际传媒檛 go in,sa国际传媒� said Garland.
Asked to describe why Garland has been so effective this year, Tocchet was quick to point out Garlandsa国际传媒檚 work ethic and compete level.
sa国际传媒淚 think his corner work and his ability to keep plays alive. Hesa国际传媒檚 not a one-and-done guy. When the puck is transferred somewhere, hesa国际传媒檚 the first guy on the puck. For a little guy sa国际传媒� he goes into the corner with a big guy sa国际传媒� and he comes out of it (with the puck). Yousa国际传媒檒l see a big pile and all of a sudden yousa国际传媒檒l see this little guy come out of the cornersa国际传媒hatsa国际传媒檚 a big possession. The more guys you have like that, the more you are going to extend offensive zone chances,sa国际传媒� noted Tocchet.
OVERTIME
* Joshua didnsa国际传媒檛 play against Detroit after suffering a hand injury in a fight with Chicagosa国际传媒檚 MacKenzie Entwistle on Tuesday night. sa国际传媒淚 cansa国际传媒檛 give you an exact (time) but it doesnsa国际传媒檛 look like he can play the next game either. I cansa国际传媒檛 go further than that until I sit with the doctors and find out what the plan is from there,sa国际传媒� said Tocchet when questioned on how long Joshua may be out of the lineup.
* The Canucks got two goals from Elias Lindholm and single markers from Miller and Nikita Zadorov in the recording their straight win. J.T. Compher scored the lone Red Wings goal. Alex Lyon made 17 saves for Detroit while Demko stopped 27 shots for Vancouver.
* Demko actually tried to score late in the game when the Red Wings pulled Lyon for an extra attacker. Demko lofted a nice shot down the middle of the ice and the puck appeared to be on target but was stopped shortly after it landed near the hash marks in the Red Wingsa国际传媒檚 zone by Shayne Gostisbehere. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 not really the guy to try it but I figured up three (goals) it was going to be my best effort, so itsa国际传媒檚 going to be my first and last try,sa国际传媒� Demko said afterwards.
* The hockey club celebrated Black History Month with several in-house features during the course of the game including an interview with ex-Canuck Nathan LaFayette, who was a member of the sa国际传媒�94 team that went to the Stanley Cup Finals.
* Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff took in the game Thursday night. His team takes on the Canucks Saturday at Rogers Arena.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob sa国际传媒渢he Mojsa国际传媒� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
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