Arielle Lalonde - @ellycelly

Can you picture yourself at sixteen years old?

At sixteen, you are encouraged to dream, and dream big. Maybe you’re already thinking about post-secondary education plans or your first full-time job. Maybe your greatest worry is an algebra test you’re dreading or your senior prom, your future bearing down. You may not realize it at the time, but so many of your choices and struggles are not as permanent as they seem. And yet, your dreams remain.

When Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland was sixteen, he found himself at such a crossroads. He had spent a year at Shattuck St. Mary's preparatory school, relegated to a junior squad. He returned home to be with his family, and struggled to find a team for the same reason he had faced countless cuts from rosters in his life – his size. Already considered undersized at 5'9" and barely 165 pounds, many doubted his future in hockey.

A high-level youth hockey player with National Hockey League aspirations does not have theoretical dreams. Impermanence is not guaranteed. Every decision you make and game you play might affect the trajectory of your life and career. You are fortunate to be one of the few with such an opportunity but burdened with the choices that come with it all the same.

In 2012, Garland was drafted in the sixth round by the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major (now Maritimes) Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Later that year, he committed to playing for Penn State University, which was then just rejoining Division I NCAA competition. The success of the newly reinstated program was uncertain. Any choice he made at this point was a risk, but he knew his end goal: the NHL.

After a handful of games with the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks, Garland ultimately decided to forfeit his NCAA eligibility and join the Wildcats in New Brunswick, an 842-kilometre (523-mile) journey from his seaside hometown of Scituate, Massachusetts. 

Now, at twenty-eight, such a decision doesn't weigh as heavily on his shoulders as it might have then. He speaks with ease as if discussing the weather. "My decision was just based on the best opportunity for me. I thought to make the NHL, you can look at it a few ways. Some guys it's good to go to college, some guys it's major junior, and I felt I fell into that category."

Twelve years later, perhaps he has the reassurance of knowing exactly how it will all turn out.

Conor Garland was focused on a future in the NHL before he was even old enough to drive in most of North America. That kind of determination is rare, and it would come to define his mindset as a player for years to come. 

Despite the skepticism due to his status as an undersized player, Garland took the QMJHL by storm. He broke out with intensity, showing a uniquely surprising offensive flare. He led the QMJHL and the entire CHL in his third year with 129 points. The following year, it was 128. His various honours included the QMJHL MVP award, which is no small feat for a young athlete. Given his choice a few short years before, this success all came after he almost never wore a Wildcats jersey.

Garland still acknowledges that the Wildcats were one of the first organizations to see the potential in him beyond a first glance at his height or a weigh-in.

"I was fortunate and I just always feel blessed that I had an organization and coaching staff there that supported me."

The hurdles kept coming. He was entirely overlooked in his first year of NHL draft eligibility in 2014, finally taken the following year by the Arizona Coyotes 123rd overall, in the fifth round. He would first have to earn his stripes with the American Hockey League's Tuscon Roadrunners in 131 games, working up to an eventual 164 games with Arizona. Even as a professional in the early years of his career, Garland's all-around game and NHL future were frequently questioned. 

Ten years after his draft year, Garland is now reaching new heights in his career each game. His undervaluation then may seem unfathomable now, as Conor Garland is not the first or last undersized player in NHL history to succeed. Certainly, not every 5'9" teenager with professional hockey dreams will turn out to be a Henri Richard or a Martin St. Louis. But Conor Garland is not just any player.

Anyone who is a devoted Vancouver Canucks fan or anyone who has merely seen twenty minutes of a game could tell you the kind of player Conor Garland is. He thrives deep in the offensive zone, easily shakes off defenders with his skating skills, gets right in the middle of puck battles to find success along the boards, and can frequently be seen matching up with opposing players nearly a foot taller than himself. More often than not, he will be at net front, crouched close over the puck, laser-focused on the attack. His grit and versatility are not often seen in any player, especially those listed at 5'10" and 165 lbs. Garland won't be relegated to a role that disregards this playing style and won't be underestimated.

Overcoming some adversity in his early seasons in Vancouver was no difficulty for Garland, as his career could be defined by the word "overcome." Then came the team's 2023-2024 campaign, which saw Garland take a step up as a core member of the team, and contribute to a push to the second round of the playoffs. When it comes to the surge of support for him that has continued into this season, Garland is quick to state that he has learned never to take a second spent in a Canucks jersey for granted. "Yeah, well I mean we had a couple tough years when I first got here, but they [the fans] were so great last year, and it was just so fun to be a part of that run with them. It's something I'll never forget."

Now past the midway mark of the 2024-2025 season, Garland has seen growth in his game to match his growth as a leader. Garland has been deployed as an all-situations player, reaching the highest average ice time of his career and given ample time on the first-unit power play. His solid defensive game has also been rewarded with some deployment in key penalty kill situations. All aspects considered, his increased workload and responsibility have not gone unnoticed nor unappreciated. 

"Well, it's been nice. I took a step with it last year, just getting older with more years in the league, then we got a little bit of a different team this year, so definitely had to step up in that category."

With the Canucks experiencing various injury issues and absences from leaders such as Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser, Garland's intensified role with the team has come from critical necessity, but he has taken these struggles in stride. He has sometimes played on the first line, at times. He plays with dedicated intensity no matter where he draws in the lineup from game to game, and has never failed to rise to the occasion when asked to give more to his team. He knows more than most how rare that opportunity can be.

Garland's success does not exist in a vacuum – he's had support from many along the way, especially from head coach Rick Tocchet, who also coached him throughout his time in Arizona. His expanded role reflects a trust that has been growing between coach and player over the years, long before either were members of the Canucks organization. Those who have believed in Garland's abilities have seen his willingness to push himself.

The winger doesn't miss a beat when asked how his teammates and coaches have significantly contributed to his growth as a Canuck.

"We've got a great leadership group here, and we really lean on each other. When I came here I was still a young guy and still learning in the league, but I'm almost at 500 games now."

"You get older and you learn from guys like Hughesy [Quinn Hughes]. I mean, he's younger than me, but he's obviously our captain and a great leader."

Garland speaks enthusiastically about the accomplishments of his peers, almost with more ease than he speaks of his own – a sign of the regard he holds for them, and the mentality of a maturing player. Humility is one of many integral, perhaps overlooked, leadership traits. As his path in the NHL continues to unfold before him, he displays that nothing is accomplished alone. When asked, Garland believes his growth into a core member of the Vancouver Canucks has a simple answer. "As long as there are great guys you can learn from, you become your own leader."

Despite the improvements he has made since arriving in Vancouver four seasons ago and the relentless work put in to get to that point, Garland will be the first in the room to point out those who helped him get there. He cites his current captain, coach, and teammates as inspirations – current and former. From being passed over in his first draft year to the present, a leader is not built in a day. Every "Never" he heard and every roster cut only inspired him to keep going. Conor Garland hasn't succeeded in the NHL in spite of the adversity he faced getting there. He's succeeded because of it.

When it comes to his aspirations for the future in Vancouver, Garland remains optimistic about his journey and the team moving forward.

"It's organic and it just happens with time," he muses once more about the chemistry he's built with his teammates. "So far it's been quite the year as a group, and hopefully we can make great on the finish."

As the Canucks continue their 2025 campaign with hopes of making the postseason, all eyes will be on Garland as he continues to elevate his game and establish himself as a valuable leader on and off the ice.