Kiefer Sherwood Traded to San Jose: First Thoughts

Another domino has fallen. On Monday afternoon, the Canucks announced that they have traded Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2026 2nd round pick, a 2027 2nd round pick, and defenseman Cole Clayton. The past two seasons of Canucks hockey have not been particularly full of wins, but that was far from Kiefer Sherwood’s fault. Sherwood ends his Canucks tenure with 63 points in 122 games. He also ends his Canucks tenure with 672 hits in those 122 games, which is 5.5 per game. That is a hilariously absurd statistic.

When the Canucks signed Kiefer Sherwood in the 2024 offseason to a 2-year deal worth $1.5 million per season, nobody could’ve expected this level of productivity from him. He was originally signed to be a 4th line guy with physicality and occasional scoring. He turned into a solid middle-6er with the best physicality in league history and more than half a point per game. In seasons where many players on the Canucks have not come close to meeting their expectations, Kiefer Sherwood absolutely obliterated his.

He joins San Jose with 17 goals and 6 assists in 44 games and will instantly add to the grit of their lineup, which is somewhat lacking in the 52 minutes per game where Ryan Reaves isn’t on the ice. Unlike Ryan Reaves, though, Sherwood knows how to play other aspects of hockey as well. I feel like it is a perfect fit for the Sharks. With so many young stars on their team, they needed another physical guy who can protect them. It’s pretty cool to see them commit to winning this season.

As for the Canucks’ side of the return, I’ve seen a lot of people underwhelmed. Two 2nd round picks and an AHL defenseman does seem like an underwhelming return on the surface, especially when it was rumoured for so long that the Canucks could possibly net a 1st rounder. However, in recent weeks it’s become clear that the Canucks were never going to get that 1st round pick for Sherwood. A lot of teams were in on Sherwood. If any of them were offering a 1st at any point, he would’ve been traded a long time ago. 

With that knowledge, two 2nd rounders is an absolutely fine return. Sherwood needed to be traded. Beyond the status he acquired as a fan-favourite in Vancouver, there were no reasons to hold onto him from a business standpoint. His contract expires at the end of this season, he turns 31 in March, and the Canucks have no way to justify re-signing him in the current stage they’re at as an organization. The Canucks already have so many forwards stuck on this team who don’t fit the timeline they’re going for. There’s no reason to hold Sherwood hostage in Vancouver too.

It is a pretty sad trade. I understand anyone who’s frustrated that it came to this. In an ideal world, the rest of the team sorted themselves out last season, and we got to see Kiefer Sherwood play playoff hockey for the Canucks. Clearly that didn’t happen. While frustration is in order, this trade is absolutely not a bad thing at this point. They got some value out of him rather than having him just leave for free in the offseason. Two 2nd rounders is fair value for Sherwood. They'll likely be mid-round picks, somewhere around pick 50. Personally, I’m happy with it, and I’m happy to see Sherwood get a team that will actually compete beside him.

Sherwood deserved a lot better than the Canucks gave him. Every single game he showed up with heart and left everything out there on the ice. A lot of Canuck players have displayed an indifference toward winning hockey games in the past two seasons. Never Kiefer Sherwood, though. This team was in last place and he was still doing everything he possibly could to gain 2 points in the standings.

In his reaction to the trade, Sherwood expressed his appreciation for the city of Vancouver. As a self-proclaimed late-bloomer, Sherwood stated that he was grateful for the opportunity he received with the Canucks. He wished the organization the best, and said that when he signed here, he wanted nothing more than to make the playoffs with this team.

What Sherwood deserved was the opportunity to make the playoffs. By conducting this trade, the Canucks finally did right by him. This makes Sherwood the next Canuck to get traded out this season after Quinn Hughes, and hopefully there’s a lot more to go. Who’s next?

Hopefully… well… you know who I hope is next.