Conor Garland (born March 11, 1996) is an American professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
right winger
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
for the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL). Garland was drafted in the fifth round (123rd overall) by the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mul ...
in the
2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Prior to turning professional, Garland played for the
Moncton Wildcats
The Moncton Wildcats are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1995–96 season, known as the Moncton Alpines for one season, and as the Wildca ...
in the
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (french: Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec; abbreviated ''QMJHL'' in English, ''LHJMQ'' in French) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The ...
(QMJHL) where he was awarded the
Michel Brière Memorial Trophy The Michel Brière Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. It is named for former QMJHL and NHL player Michel Brière, who was killed in a car crash.
There is another trophy with the ...
as the QMJHL Most Valuable Player and twice selected for the QMJHL First All-Star Team. After a successful stint with the Coyotes'
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
affiliate, the
Tucson Roadrunners
The Tucson Roadrunners are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play for the 2016–17 season. Based in Tucson, Arizona, and affiliated with the National Hockey League's Arizona Coyotes, the team plays i ...
, he played parts of three NHL seasons before the Coyotes traded him to the Canucks.
Early life
Garland was born on March 11, 1996, in
Scituate, Massachusetts to parents Bridget, a train station foreman, and Garry, who was a collegiate hockey player. He also has three sisters, two of whom played collegiate lacrosse.
He began skating at the age of four and attended skating clinics run by
Michael Botticelli
Michael P. Botticelli (born January 2, 1958) is an American public health official who served as the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) from March 2014 until the end of President Obama's term. He was name ...
.
Playing career
Youth
Growing up in Massachusetts, Garland played youth hockey with Boston Mission and Team Massachusetts.
He then attended
Shattuck-Saint Mary's
Shattuck-St. Mary's (also known as Shattuck-St. Mary's School, Shattuck, or simply SSM) is a coeducational Episcopal-affiliated boarding school in Faribault, Minnesota, United States. Established in 1858 as an Episcopal mission school and se ...
, a boarding school in
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, where he recorded 116 points in 52 games.
At the age of 14, Garland was cut from their bantam team due to his height. and subsequently joined the
Boston Junior Bruins in the
Empire Junior Hockey League
The Empire Junior Hockey League (EmJHL) was a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III junior ice hockey league. The league was classified as Tier III Junior B until the 2011–12 season when USA Hockey combined the Tier III Junior A and Junior B classifi ...
(EmJHL) for the 2011–12 season.
Following his first season with the Bruins, in which he recorded 94 points in 40 games, Garland was drafted in the sixth round of the 2012
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (french: Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec; abbreviated ''QMJHL'' in English, ''LHJMQ'' in French) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The ...
(QMJHL) Draft by the
Moncton Wildcats
The Moncton Wildcats are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1995–96 season, known as the Moncton Alpines for one season, and as the Wildca ...
.
After beginning the 2012–13 season with the
Muskegon Lumberjacks
The Muskegon Lumberjacks are a Tier I junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Conference of the United States Hockey League. They play in Muskegon, Michigan, at Mercy Health Arena. The Lumberjacks replaced the International Hockey League franchi ...
in the
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the midwestern United States, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. The USHL is strictl ...
(USHL), Garland moved to playing for the Wildcats in the QMJHL, foregoing his
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
eligibility.
Juniors
During the
2014–15 season, while playing with the Wildcats, Garland led both the QMJHL and
Canadian Hockey League (CHL) with 129 points. He was named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team, and was further honored when he was awarded the
Michel Brière Memorial Trophy The Michel Brière Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. It is named for former QMJHL and NHL player Michel Brière, who was killed in a car crash.
There is another trophy with the ...
as the QMJHL Most Valuable Player. Garland was then selected 123rd overall in the
2015 NHL Entry Draft, by the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mul ...
.
Arizona Coyotes
![Conor Garland 2019-11-11](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Conor_Garland_2019-11-11.jpg)
While in his final season of junior with the Wildcats, Garland was signed to a three-year
entry-level contract
A two-way contract is a professional sports contract that stipulates that an athlete's salary is dependent upon the league in which the athlete is assigned to play. This is opposed to a one-way contract that would pay the same salary regardless of ...
by the Coyotes on December 23, 2015. Following the conclusion of the season, Garland was invited to participate in the Coyotes 2016 development camp and remained in the state for the remainder of the offseason. Following camp, Garland was re-assigned to the Coyotes
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Tucson Roadrunners
The Tucson Roadrunners are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play for the 2016–17 season. Based in Tucson, Arizona, and affiliated with the National Hockey League's Arizona Coyotes, the team plays i ...
, for the
2016–17 season. He recorded his first professional goal on December 2, 2016, against the
San Diego Gulls
The San Diego Gulls are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in San Diego, California, and affiliated with the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks, the Gulls play th ...
.
After attending training camp, Garland was re-assigned to the Roadrunners to begin the
2018–19 season. He led the team with 19 points before earning his first NHL call-up on December 3. His recall was due to his outstanding play at the AHL level and the belief that he minimized his bad habits from junior hockey and became a more complete player.
He made his NHL debut on December 8, 2018, in a 5–3 loss to the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...
. During his callup, he earned a top-line left-wing role alongside center
Nick Schmaltz and
Clayton Keller.
Through his first 36 games with the Coyotes, Garland accumulated 12 goals and three assists for 15 points and 10 penalty minutes. He also tied for third on the team in goals and power-play goals. Having established a role within the Coyotes, adding 12 goals in 35 games, Garland was signed to a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension on February 27, 2019. Despite his offensive output, the Coyotes were eliminated from playoff contention on April 5, 2019, in a loss to the
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expa ...
. He finished the season with 13 goals and five assists through 47 NHL games.
During a game against the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
, Garland suffered a lower-body injury when he collided with goaltender
Cam Talbot
Cameron Talbot (born July 5, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He had also played for the New York Rangers, the Edmonton Oilers, the Calgary Flames, the Philadelp ...
.
On March 8, 2020, it was announced that Garland would be week to week with a lower-body injury. At the time of the injury, he led the team in goals and was tied third for points with 39. He tallied 22 goals and 17 assists for 39 points through 68 regular season games and set single-season career highs in games, goals, assists, points, game-winning goals and shots.
Six days following the injury, the NHL paused the season due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. Once they returned to play, Garland was healthy and rejoined the lineup.
On June 9, Garland was the Coyotes nominee for the
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL ...
as a "player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey."
During practice, Garland suffered another lower-body injury and was listed as week-to-week. Upon returning from the injury, Garland tallied six points through three games to rank third on the team in scoring with 38 points. During the season, the Coyotes played the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
seven times. During the series, he played with Schmaltz and Keller on the Coyotes' "Short Leash Line" which combined for 21 points. As the
2021 NHL Expansion Draft approached, Garland was one of seven forwards protected by the Coyotes.
Vancouver Canucks
On July 23, 2021, Garland's
restricted free agent
A restricted free agent (RFA) is a type of free agent in the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), or National Basketball Association (NBA). Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain ...
signing rights were traded, along with
Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Oliver Oscar Emanuel Ekman-Larsson (; born 17 July 1991) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Known by his initials "OEL", Ekman-Larsson was original ...
, to the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
in exchange for
Jay Beagle
Jay Beagle (born October 16, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who last played for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). As an undrafted free agent, Beagle joined the Washington Capitals's organization fo ...
,
Loui Eriksson
Loui William Eriksson (born 17 July 1985) is a Swedish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for Frölunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
Eriksson was selected by the Dallas Stars in the second round, 33rd overall, at the ...
,
Antoine Roussel, a
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
first-round pick, a
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...
second-round pick, and a
2023
Events
Predicted and scheduled events
* January 1
** In the United States, books, films, and other works published in 1927 will enter the public domain, assuming there are no changes made to copyright law.
** Croatia will adopt the eu ...
seventh-round pick. Prior to the start of the
2021–22 season, Garland signed a five-year, $24.75 million contract extension with the Canucks.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garland, Conor
1996 births
Living people
American men's ice hockey right wingers
Arizona Coyotes draft picks
Arizona Coyotes players
Ice hockey players from Massachusetts
Moncton Wildcats players
Muskegon Lumberjacks players
People from Scituate, Massachusetts
Sportspeople from Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Tucson Roadrunners players
Vancouver Canucks players