The Columbus Blue Jackets were headed toward another lost season in January, further cementing their place as one of the biggest punchlines in the NHL. Now, with Rick Bowness steering the ship, they are taking their fans on a long-awaited thrill ride and are competing for a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. President of hockey operations Don Waddell is trying to bolster the team's odds by acquiring Conor Garland in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks, per TSN's Pierre LeBrun.
Columbus is sending a 2028 second-round draft pick and 2026 third-rounder in exchange for the right-winger. Garland signed a six-year, $36 million contract extension last July, so this move is about helping the franchise in both the short and long term. He has seven goals and 19 assists through 50 games this season. Perhaps a change of scenery is just what the 2015 fifth-round draft pick needs.
Vancouver is locked in the basement with a 18-36-7 record, trailing the next closest teams by 12 points. The organization is left with little choice other than to transform its roster. Although it helps to have players under team control, the 29-year-old Garland clearly does not fit the Canucks' competitive timetable. He now joins a must-see revival effort in Columbus.
The Blue Jackets went into the Olympics break on a seven-game winning streak, desperate to maintain their momentum. They dropped two following the NHL freeze but have since rebounded after grabbing their last three. Bowness' squad is breathing down the Boston Bruins' neck, sitting just one point out of the final Wild Card slot in the Eastern Conference.
The Conor Garland deal shows just how serious the Blue Jackets are about ending their five-year postseason drought. Waddell could explore other options before Friday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
Prominent sports journalist and podcaster Bill Simmons called Columbus the most irrelevant franchise in professional sports back in November. Well, the team's latest activity, both on and off the ice, indicates that it is trending in a new direction. The Blue Jackets are moving with purpose, and in the process, they are electrifying their fan base.
But they cannot stop now.
