Player Discussion Conor Garland

[F A N]

I understand the Mason Raymond comparison 100%, but the beer league thing seems odd to me. To me, those types of players are only frustrating on extremely high skill, structurally clinical/organized teams where the team's natural flow is constantly funneling chances (that this type of player may disrupt by being individualistic and tunnel-vision).

In the same way that Raymond on a fourth line is awesome, but throwing him in with prime Sedins as they work their magic tends to be disruptive in a bad way.

Not saying beer leagues can't play smart/organized, but wouldn't that apply more to the NHL than to beer leagues?

Do you maybe just mean frustrating as in you as a linemate can't get in on the play when they're trying to take everyone on single-handedly?

Agreed. Raymond was all shot and speed and not much else so when he is fed the puck while open or breaking out he's dangerous. When more puck touches are required he wasn't good. I would think that Raymond is at his best when it's run and gun. And I don't get the Raymond at his worst beer league comparison. Raymond at his worst was a perimeter player and ineffective not a guy who outworked everyone and trying to beat everyone single-handedly.

And Garland and Joshua were routinely part of the most exciting line for the Canucks last season. But ya those behind the net feeds to Joshua and both going to the net and scoring off each other's rebounds. What weird moves.

 

[Peen]

Agreed. Raymond was all shot and speed and not much else so when he is fed the puck while open or breaking out he's dangerous. When more puck touches are required he wasn't good. I would think that Raymond is at his best when it's run and gun. And I don't get the Raymond at his worst beer league comparison. Raymond at his worst was a perimeter player and ineffective not a guy who outworked everyone and trying to beat everyone single-handedly.

At his best, he was absolutely the hardest worker on the ice

He'd be such a good fit with Miller and Boeser

 

[mathonwy]

MayRay's got heart and speed. Never a difference maker but never a floater.

 

[RobertKron]

I understand the Mason Raymond comparison 100%, but the beer league thing seems odd to me. To me, those types of players are only frustrating on extremely high skill, structurally clinical/organized teams where the team's natural flow is constantly funneling chances (that this type of player may disrupt by being individualistic and tunnel-vision).

In the same way that Raymond on a fourth line is awesome, but throwing him in with prime Sedins as they work their magic tends to be disruptive in a bad way.

Not saying beer leagues can't play smart/organized, but wouldn't that apply more to the NHL than to beer leagues?

Do you maybe just mean frustrating as in you as a linemate can't get in on the play when they're trying to take everyone on single-handedly?

I'm specifically talking about the tendency to just keep go-go-go churning the legs and ragging the puck forward up the wall until the player either skates it into trouble, throws a hoper pass into traffic out front, or skates it around the net past everyone and tries a wrap around, rather than slowing the play down, stopping up, or driving the puck to the middle of the ice.

This style of play is like one of *the* hallmark traits of that try-hard beer leaguer, which is why I cited that as an example. This doesn't mean that I literally think Conor Garland is a literal beer league player who somehow got lost downtown and snuck onto the Vancouver Canucks and literally only does this or other weird things.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

At his best, he was absolutely the hardest worker on the ice

He'd be such a good fit with Miller and Boeser

Always amazing how people trash Mason Raymond. It's easy to do when you check out HockeyDB and come to the conclusion that he simply leeched off Kesler in 2009-2010. He was a fully legit 2nd line winger.

2010-2011 saw his point totals crater because of a nagging hand and thumb injury which hindered his shot and ability to stick handle. Compounding matters was his career killing back injury which pretty much ended his spell with the Canucks.

 

[RobertKron]

Always amazing how people slag Mason Raymond. It's easy to do when you check out HockeyDB and come to the conclusion that he simply leeched off Kesler in 2009-2010. He was a fully legit 2nd line winger.

2010-2011 saw his point totals crater because of a nagging hand and thumb injury which significantly took away his shot and ability to stick handle. Compounding matters was his career killing back injury which pretty much ended his spell with the Canucks.

Yeah, Raymond was an extremely underrated player for the Canucks. His play off the puck doesn't get enough credit as well.

 

[Shareefruck]

I'm specifically talking about the tendency to just keep go-go-go churning the legs and ragging the puck forward up the wall until the player either skates it into trouble, throws a hoper pass into traffic out front, or skates it around the net past everyone and tries a wrap around, rather than slowing the play down, stopping up, or driving the puck to the middle of the ice.

This style of play is like one of *the* hallmark traits of that try-hard beer leaguer, which is why I cited them as an example. This doesn't mean that I literally think Conor Garland is a literal beer league player who somehow got lost downtown and snuck onto the Vancouver Canucks and literally only does this or other weird things.

I understand that part and at no point thought you were claiming he was a beer leaguer. I would just expect that that playstyle would be pretty effective (rather than annoying/disruptive in any way) in a beer league setting, where I assume systems are a lot messier and the attack is less organized in general anyways. But I've never been exposed to a beer league, so maybe I'm underestimating that.

I don't get annoyed by Mason Raymond (or Hoglander or Garland) except when that type of play is disrupting a high level calculated and high-hockey-sense attack like on a Sedin line, for example. I'd imagine they'd be more fun to watch playing like that (and that it'd be more of a non-issue) in lower levels as opposed to the NHL.

 

[RobertKron]

I understand that and at no point thought you were claiming he was a beer leaguer. I would just expect that that playstyle would be pretty effective (rather than annoying/disruptive in any way) in a beer league setting, where I assume systems are a lot messier and the attack is less organized in general anyways. But I've never been a beer league.

I don't get annoyed by Mason Raymond (or Hoglander or Garland) except when that type of play is disrupting a high level calculated and high-hockey-sense attack like on a Sedin line, for example.

It can be effective in a beer league setting, but it's also like, dude - calm down. Everyone's mostly all out here to just toss the puck around and not backcheck, not skate 100km per shift and then turn it over due to tunnelvision.

With Raymond it was especially frustrating when he got to doing this because we'd seen him be absolutely deadly when he was in the mindset to make dangerous plays by using his speed to create separation and then slow it down and make something happen, but in general it's just a type of play that I don't find especially enjoyable to watch.

That last bit was just to clarify for the posters out there who are probably going to get really mad at me and post about it for days on end when they discover that I am, in fact, not really Robert Kron, nor Kyle Wellwood.

 

[Shareefruck]

It can be effective in a beer league setting, but it's also like, dude - calm down. Everyone's mostly all out here to just toss the puck around and not backcheck, not skate 100km per shift and then turn it over due to tunnelvision.

With Raymond it was especially frustrating when he got to doing this because we'd seen him be absolutely deadly when he was in the mindset to make dangerous plays by using his speed to create separation and then slow it down and make something happen, but in general it's just a type of play that I don't find especially enjoyable to watch.

That last bit was just to clarify for the posters out there who are probably going to get really mad at me and post about it for days on end when they discover that I am, in fact, not really Robert Kron, nor Kyle Wellwood.

I guess that's the part I struggle to empathize with. So it's annoying not really because it hurts the team's chances or ruins a superior rhythm of play in any way, but simply because.... it forces you to play at a more strenuous pace than you want to or enjoy?

 

[RobertKron]

I guess that's the part I struggle to empathize with. So it's annoying not really because it hurts the team's chances or ruins a superior rhythm of play in any way, but simply because.... it forces you to play at a more strenuous pace than you want to or enjoy?

The skating it up the wall until you run out of rink or make a low percentage play thing is annoying just because it's annoying and usually a waste of a possession and/or shift, but yeah, in general the super duper hustle try hard intensity guy is kind of side-eyed because yeah, like, it's beer league. Go play senior hockey if you're trying to keep the dream alive and want to make coach proud of you.

I feel like the boundaries around this one are pretty grey and tough to define, but it's one of those things that tends to be easy to understand in context.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Great playoff performance! Quick feisty playmaker, wonder who our 2nd best winger after Brock Boeser is, it’s between Garland & DeBrusk imo.

 

[logan5]

Great playoff performance! Quick feisty playmaker, wonder who our 2nd best winger after Brock Boeser is, it’s between Garland & DeBrusk imo.

Or Lekk. I could see him scoring 25 or more goals as a rookie.

 

[Coffee]

Or Lekk. I could see him scoring 25 or more goals as a rookie.

Oh baby

 

[Nucker101]

Or Lekk. I could see him scoring 25 or more goals as a rookie.

You think Tocchet is going to like his game? I have serious doubts.

 

[Nucker101]

17 points in 20 games playing over 19 minutes per night

70 point pace

A bargain so far this season at his current cap hit

 

[I Hart Conor Garland]

17 points in 20 games playing over 19 minutes per night

70 point pace

A bargain so far this season at his current cap hit

He's ok.

 

[DFAC]

I never thought Garland would be one of our best forwards consistently and become such a fan favourite. It really is quite amazing how he's completely turned it around since he arrived.

 

[Nucker101]

7 game point streak

10 points in those 7 games

21 points in 22 games

78 point pace

 

[SillyRabbit]

Best Canuck forward this season so far.

He’s looked good for a few seasons now but this season his production matches the eye test.

Love the effort he brings to every shift.

 

[vancityluongo]

garland's been a legitimate line driving top-6 winger, which is unreal

 

[Breakers]

Such a high IQ player in regards to possession

 

[MS]

He's been our 3rd best player this season after Hughes and Lankinen.

 

[arttk]

Best Canuck forward this season so far.

He’s looked good for a few seasons now but this season his production matches the eye test.

Love the effort he brings to every shift.

He’s also on PP1 now and producing so that’s contributing the most to his increased point totals. He’s playing like a legit 1st line winger now, if only he can play with a longer stick and get more velocity on his shot.