Conor Garland is on his way to Columbus and will make his Blue Jackets debut against the Utah Mammoth on March 7 at Nationwide Arena.
More: Columbus Blue Jackets add Conor Garland in surprise trade
The newly acquired forward issued his first comments about the trade during a television appearance March 6 on Sportsnet.
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“I’ve talked to quite a few people, quite a few players,” Garland said. “It happened pretty quick last night, but I’m excited. It’s obviously a great team. They’ve been on quite a tear for the last little bit, right in the thick of a playoff race. So, it’s an exciting time of the year when you’re in a playoff race. There’s nothing like watching the standings, watching other teams every night, and I’m really excited to join them.”
Feb 28, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Vancouver Canucks right wing Conor Garland (8) takes a shot on goal during the third period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Blake Dahlin-Imagn Images
About two hours before the trade was announced, the Blue Jackets defeated the Florida Panthers 4-2 on March 5 for their third straight win.
They moved within one point of the Boston Bruins for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and within three points of the Montreal Canadiens for the first wild card. Columbus also drew within three points of the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders for the second and third places, respectively, in the Metropolitan Division.
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The Blue Jackets (32-21-8) are 3-1-1 since returning from the NHL’s break for the 2026 Winter Olympics and improved to 14-2-1 in their past 17 games. All but one of those games were played after Rick Bowness replaced Dean Evason on Jan. 12 as coach, making them 13-2-1 for their new bench boss.
Mar 2, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland (8) during a stop in play against the Dallas Stars in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
It’s a stretch that reminds Garland of what he experienced with the Vancouver Canucks in 2023-24 under former coach Rick Tocchet, who’s now coaching the Philadelphia Flyers. That season, the Canucks qualified for the playoffs and advanced to the second round in the Western Conference.
“Those competitive games down the stretch, there’s nothing like it,” Garland said. “You can’t replace it, so I just want to go be an effective, good player for (the Blue Jackets) and bring my ‘A’ game for the last (21) games, and hopefully for a long playoff run.”
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Garland, who is listed at 5 feet 10, 165 pounds, plays a physical style that helps create possession and space for his soft hands and vision to make plays. His offensive production has lagged this season at seven goals, 19 assists and 26 points, but he’s capable of scoring and creating goals.
One of the things he noticed immediately about the Blue Jackets was their size, especially up front.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – FEBRUARY 28: Conor Garland #8 of the Vancouver Canucks skates against the Seattle Kraken during the third period at Climate Pledge Arena on February 28, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
“I looked at their forwards last night,” he said. “They didn’t have a guy under 6-1, so it’s going to be nice to be around all those big guys in the corner and the goal mouth.”
Where Garland best fits into the puzzle is something for Bowness and his coaching staff to solve, and Garland’s ready to roll. He is signed for six more years beyond this season, getting $6 million per season, but Garland sounded like a deadline rental acquisition with his focus solely on the short-term.
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More: Who is new Columbus Blue Jackets forward Conor Garland?
“I’d just love to go and have some chemistry with a couple players up front and be a really effective line down the stretch,” he said. “It’s hard to score at this time of the year, so (I’ll try) to get to the net and get some big goals. I’m very grateful for them to come and acquire me, and I just want to go prove them right these next few months.”
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Conor Garland excited to join Columbus Blue Jackets