As the trade deadline approaches, multiple reports have surfaced indicating the Vancouver Canucks are looking to trade Conor Garland to the New York Islanders. Nothing has been confirmed yet, as there is only speculation, but the two sides seem to be working out a deal.
This could be a great trade for both sides, and for the Canucks, it could help them land some very good future assets as they continue to re-tool their team and begin a new youth movement in Vancouver.
Many have speculated that the Islanders won’t have to give up an enormous price to acquire Garland. Mostly because of the length of his contract and his new extension, which will kick in on July 1, and includes a no-movement clause for the first three seasons. That may be true, but that doesn’t mean that the Canucks can’t acquire a good prospect from New York, along with a draft pick. The Islanders have a decent prospect pool, and I believe the Canucks should be targeting three players in particular.
Danny Nelson
In a trade for a player like Garland, top prospects like Cole Eiserman and Victor Eklund will unfortunately be off the table for the Canucks. But a prospect like Danny Nelson shouldn’t be. He is currently at the University of Notre Dame and has 27 points in 33 games this season for the Fighting Irish.
The National Team Development Program (NTDP) graduate played in the program on the same team as top-end prospects Will Smith, Ryan Leonard, and Oliver Moore and recorded 47 points as one of the middle-six players. He has been at Notre Dame for three seasons and has recorded 76 points in 99 NCAA games for a program that isn’t recognized as one of the strongest in college hockey.
Nelson has also won two gold medals with the USA at the World Juniors in both 2024 and 2025, a gold medal at the 2023 U18 World Championship, and played for the U.S. Collegiate Selects at the Spengler Cup, where they came in second. This is a player who produces results and has recorded points and won championships on every team he has played on. Vancouver could definitely use players like Nelson in their youth movement, and Nelson could greatly benefit from playing in the Canucks forward group with their new young group of players.
Isaiah George
Another player Vancouver should be interested in is Isaiah George. A very skilled and smooth-skating defenceman who played many games with the Islanders in 2024-25 and looked to take a big step this season, but the emergence of Matthew Schaefer has made it hard for him to find a place in the Islanders’ lineup. And with Kashawn Aitcheson close to turning pro, George’s spot on the team could be slipping fast.
George was drafted in the fourth round by the Islanders back in 2022 and developed with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He helped the Knights go to back-to-back OHL championship series and was a member of their 2024 championship team. Coach Dale Hunter trusted him greatly in many defensive and offensive situations.
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The following season, George began his pro hockey career in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bridgeport Islanders and played very well with the club. His play caught the eye of New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy, and he got called up to the NHL for 33 games. In those 33 games, he held his own and played big minutes for the club and even scored his first career NHL goal in Toronto with his family in the crowd.
George was primed for a big season in 2025-26, but Schaefer’s amazing rookie season pushed him down the depth chart, as did the drafting of Aitcheson. He now seems to be in limbo within the Islanders organization, and a change of scenery could be good for him. Vancouver has good depth on defence, but I see George moving ahead of players like Elias Pettersson and Kirill Kudryavtsev and being a good third-pairing defenceman on this Canucks team.
Quinn Finley
The third player Vancouver should consider acquiring is Quinn Finley from the University of Wisconsin. A 2022 third-round pick who has spent many seasons developing in the NCAA, he is just one season removed from recording 40 points in 37 games for the Badgers. He has fewer points this season, with only 25 in 30 games, but during his time with the U.S. Collegiate Selects, he had five points in four games. He has great offensive instincts and a fantastic wrist shot, adding to his capabilities. He looks to be a player who can put the puck in the back of the net, which is something the Canucks desperately need.
Skills from the NCAA don’t always translate perfectly to the NHL, but that is why you have teammates, to help put you in the perfect positions to achieve your goals. If Finley is traded to the Canucks, it will be very interesting to see him play with some of Vancouver’s top playmakers, like Elias Pettersson or Marco Rossi.
With Finley on a line with a player who can give him the puck in dangerous situations on the ice, he could be very effective for the Canucks and help them score more goals, which they have been struggling to do all season. A player like Finley could be perfect on a struggling young team like Vancouver, as he could begin to build some chemistry with the current group and grow together with the rest of their young players.
Trading a player as crucial to your organization as Garland is always tough, but this could be a good thing for the Canucks. Selling off big pieces and getting back usable assets is the entire point of a rebuild or a retool. By getting prospects back in trades, you have the chance to ignite your franchise with youth and talent. The road to a brighter future may be on the horizon for Vancouver after this trade deadline.
