Insider Notes Canucks Could Trade Kiefer Sherwood Despite Breakout Season

Kiefer Sherwood has been one of the biggest surprises of the Vancouver Canucks’ season, but his breakout might actually push the team toward a difficult decision at the trade deadline. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, while there’s been some informal conversation between the Canucks and Sherwood’s agent, Judd Moldaver, there have been no official extension talks—and there may not be anytime soon.

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Sherwood is 30 years old, having the best stretch of his career, and is currently sitting at 12 goals on the season. That production has turned him from a depth winger into a legitimate impact player. The problem? Vancouver is overloaded on the wings. It’s a great problem to have—until you need to commit term and money to a late bloomer who’s never produced at this level before.

Dreger noted that there’s no guarantee Sherwood gets extended, and he could very well become “legit trade fodder” as the deadline approaches.

Trading Sherwood won’t be an easy decision for Canucks’ management. He’s been a game-changer. His shooting percentage remains north of 30%, his physicality has become a staple of the bottom six, and fans were chanting his name during games. To say he’s popular would be an understatement.

But the hotter he gets, the more teams will throw offers at the Canucks. If they feel they have enough depth that they can let go of Sherwood and recoup solid assets in a trade, they’d have to consider it.

Speculation suggests his next contract could land in the $4 million AAV range over four years. That’s a major commitment for a 30-year-old who’s never hit 20 goals. And, if the Canucks have money allocated elsewhere, they might be better served to let someone else pay Sherwood the big bucks.

Sherwood is playing his way into a payday. The only question is whether Vancouver will be the team that gives him the deal he’s earning.

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