When the Vancouver Canucks last squared off against the Anaheim Ducks back on November 26th, Conor Garland gave fans a highlight they won’t soon forget. Midway through the second period, he took a crisp feed from Brock Boeser, danced around Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson with slick stickhandling, and then left goaltender Petr Mrazek sprawled on the ice with a smooth backhand finish.
It was the kind of goal that ends up on year-end reels-a flash of creativity, confidence, and pure skill. It also gave the Canucks a 3-1 lead in a game they’d ultimately win 5-4.
But here’s the thing: that goal, as dazzling as it was, remains the last time Garland has scored against a goaltender in the NHL.
Since then, it’s been a tough stretch for the 29-year-old winger. In the 22 games following that moment of brilliance, Garland has found the back of the net just once-and it came on an empty netter against the New York Rangers on December 14th.
That’s it. No goals on a goalie in over two months.
Right now, Garland is stuck in a 15-game goal drought. And the dry spell goes deeper than just goals-he hasn’t recorded a single point in his last 11 games. The last time he hit the scoresheet was back on December 27th with a pair of assists against the San Jose Sharks.
It’s been a rough January not just for Garland, but for the Canucks as a whole. And the numbers back it up.
With Garland on the ice this month, Vancouver has been outscored 8-1 in all situations. At even strength, that margin is 6-1.
His expected goals-for percentage sits at 39.9%-lowest among all Canucks forwards. That’s a tough stat to swallow for a player known for his relentless motor and compete level.
This is the same Conor Garland who fired up his teammates and the crowd with a spirited fight against Seattle’s Jared McCann on December 29th. That scrap seemed to spark something-the Canucks scored moments later and went on to win, one of just two victories since Christmas. But the very next night, Garland was injured in a loss to the Flyers, and he missed two weeks of action.
Since returning to the lineup on January 12th in Montreal, Garland has suited up for nine games. He’s logged significant minutes-leading all Canucks forwards in 5-on-5 ice time during that span-but the production just hasn’t followed.
In those nine games, he’s managed only 11 shots on goal. That’s not a typo.
Eleven. And while Garland’s been stuck in neutral, a dozen other forwards on the roster have chipped in offensively.
It’s baffling. This is a guy who posted 50 points last season, tied for the team lead among forwards.
That kind of output earned him a six-year, $36 million contract extension that kicks in this summer. But this season, through 42 games, he’s sitting on seven goals and 22 points-ninth on the team in scoring.
The struggles have cost him. He’s no longer part of the Canucks’ top power play unit.
And in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to San Jose, Garland logged just 11:31 of even-strength ice time-less than Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Drew O’Connor, Linus Karlsson, Teddy Blueger, and Filip Chytil. He barely edged out Evander Kane, who spent seven minutes in the penalty box.
Call it a slump, a funk, or just a brutal run of form-whatever the label, Garland isn’t playing like the guy we’ve come to expect. At his best, he’s a relentless force in the offensive zone-buzzing around defenders, creating space, and crashing the net. Right now, that version of Garland feels like a distant memory.
There was a glimmer of hope on Sunday against the Penguins. Garland thought he’d finally broken through with a first-period slap shot that beat Stuart Skinner clean.
But the goal was waved off after officials ruled Teddy Blueger had interfered with the goalie at the top of the crease. It was the kind of break Garland desperately needed.
Instead, it was another frustrating moment in a stretch full of them.
So what now? Maybe Thursday night brings a bit of déjà vu.
The Ducks are back in town-the same team Garland lit up for that highlight-reel goal back in November. Maybe seeing that Anaheim jersey across the ice will spark something.
Maybe it’s the reminder he needs of the player he can be.
Because make no mistake-Conor Garland is better than what we’ve seen lately. And the Canucks could sure use that version of him right about now.