The Vancouver Canucks are expected to make some significant moves in the near future. Rumblings surrounding Quinn Hughes have dominated trade talk around the NHL. After all, the superstar defenseman could be the most high-profile player to be dealt ahead of the March 6 deadline. Nevertheless, Hughes’ future with the team may not be settled so early in the season.
Instead, other veteran Vancouver players are much more likely to be moved soon as Canucks president Jim Rutherford targets younger players. Multiple insiders now believe that Kiefer Sherwood, 30, will be the first Vancouver star to be traded. The forward is currently in the final year of his contract and seems unlikely to re-sign with the team.
“The guy to watch here is Sherwood,” said Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on his November 28 podcast. “I think (the Canucks) are going to have a lot of options, and to me, the only question is when? When do they do it? But I think there are already teams lining up there.”
Kiefer Sherwood’s Versatility Admired Around the League
GettyKiefer Sherwood provides goals and physicality for the Vancouver Canucks.
David Pagnotta of Fourth Period also touched on the topic of the Canucks trading Sherwood on November 28. The reporter claimed that the forward is wanted by several top teams for a multitude of reasons.”(Sherwood’s) the prize piece in terms of what they’re willing to move, who they’re willing to move,” Pagnotta stated on the Sekeres and Price podcast .
“It’s not just the offense… It’s his goalscoring ability, it’s his physicality, and it’s his cap hit. All three of those make him one of the most attractive available pieces in the trade market, and will continue to be until he’s ultimately moved.”
Sherwood is currently in his last season of a two-year, $3 million deal with the Canucks. His $1.5 million AAV has proven to be an absolute steal for Vancouver. The winger currently leads the team with 12 goals, and his 16 points are third overall, only behind Hughes and Elias Pettersson. Along with creating offense, Sherwood also tops his team in hits by quite some margin, with 99.
Pagnotta previously reported in early November that Sherwood was looking for around $5 million AAV in his new contract. This figure, however, appears to be too much for the Canucks to consider. As a result, contract talks between the two sides have cooled off.
Canucks Exec Prefers Acquiring Players Rather Than Picks
It remains to be seen what kind of package the Canucks will ultimately receive for Sherwood. Nevertheless, Pagnotta anticipates that Vancouver is currently asking for a first-round pick as part of the return for the star. Any team willing to give up such a high pick would likely want to secure Sherwood’s long-term future before making the move, though.
Despite the claim, Rutherford has previously poured cold water on the notion of acquiring draft picks for his veterans. “We’re not trading all these players for draft picks that may or may not end up playing someday,” the Canucks exec said in mid-November. Instead, Rutherford seems to prefer getting younger, established NHL players for his aging veterans.
Several teams around the league are in desperate need of a boost at the moment. The Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and New Jersey Devils have all endured injury issues and could use an offensive influx up front. A potential bidding war between several teams would be the best-case scenario for Vancouver.
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