Canucks: Could Evander Kane find Joshua-like chemistry with Conor Garland?

The Dakota Joshua trade can be viewed from multiple perspectives by Vancouver Canucks fans.

Many view the bleak return (fourth-round pick) as a negative for the Canucks, as Joshua was so beloved by the fan base for his physicality and offensive breakout in 2023-2024. However, others are holding their judgment until they see what the Canucks do with their now freed-up $3.25 million in cap space, i.e. signing another centre.

But one of the other, less spoken about topics is what it means for his old linemate, Conor Garland.

Garland and Joshua were a dynamic duo in 2023-2024. No matter who they had in between them (Pius Suter or Teddy Blueger), the two were inseparable because of how they gelled on the ice. The way they worked along the boards in the cycle game together led to their success, recognizing them as one of the best third lines in the league.

Last offseason, however, Joshua was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which affected his summer training and held him out for the first month of the season. But Garland was still pegged as a third line forward entering the year, waiting for Joshua to return in hopes of recreating the magic they had one season ago.

We all know that that did not happen, and Garland was ready to graduate to the top six. Yet, the duo were still somewhat linked together throughout the year. When Joshua wasn’t playing well, many observers believed he needed to play with Garland to regain his success.

But now that Joshua’s on to Toronto, that frees up Garland to blossom higher in the lineup. That’s not to say that Joshua was holding Garland back, but Joshua is best as a third line winger, whereas Garland is ready for the promotion.

In saying this, Joshua’s skill set fits well with a smaller-statured playermaker like Garland. Well, the Canucks acquired a proven top six player with a similar player type to Joshua earlier in the offseason: Evander Kane.

Can Evander Kane and Conor Garland have similar chemistry?

To answer this question, we must compare the player types of Joshua and Kane.

*We will primarily use each player’s stats from the 2023-2024 season, given that was Joshua’s breakout year, and Kane’s last regular season after he missed the 2024-2025 campaign.

Joshua, 29, is a 6-foot-3, 206-pound left winger who can be defined as a defensive power forward. While not used as often on the penalty kill as he was in 2023-2024 (averaging 1:49), Joshua still averaged 31 seconds per game shorthanded. Not only was he utilized on the penalty kill, former head coach Rick Tocchet trusted the stellar third line in a matchup role against the opposition’s top line and in the dying minutes to protect the lead.

Physically, Joshua is not afraid to throw the body. Going back to 2023-2024 in his healthy season, Joshua landed 244 hits in 63 games. To put that into perspective, his 82-game pace would have him finishing with 318 hits. That would rank him third in the NHL in hits.

Kane, who will be 34 to start next season, is a 6-foot-2, 218-pound left winger who is more of an offensive power forward than Joshua. The Vancouver native is no slouch in the physicality game. In 2023-2024, Kane landed 250 hits in 77 games, amounting to an 82-game pace of 266. At his older age, he may not have the hit totals like Joshua, but Kane brings an added bite to his game, whether it’s dropping the gloves or getting under his opponent’s skin after the whistle.

Joshua brought a defensive element to his game, one that Kane won’t be able to match. However, comparing the two offensively is much greater than the defensive gap.

Offensively, Joshua took a step back in 2024-2025. After a breakout 18-goal, 32-point 2023-2024, Joshua scored just seven goals and 14 points in 57 games. Given what he had to deal with in the offseason, many fans were willing to forgive him and were confident in a bounce-back campaign.

Throughout Kane’s 15 regular seasons, he has surpassed a 0.50 point-per-game pace in every year since his rookie campaign. So, it’s fair to set a reasonable floor of a 41-point pace given his previous track record. On the other hand, Joshua has had just one season of over a 0.50 point-per-game pace, which he did playing alongside Garland in 2023-2024.

Now, of course, Kane’s numbers are going to be better than Joshua’s over the past few years, given that he spent most of his time in Edmonton either skating on a line with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.

But let’s dive into some NHL Edge data to compare some of their individual stats.