Could Vancouver's high-octane, hit-leading forward Kiefer Sherwood ignite the Red Wings' depth scoring while adding a much-needed physical edge?
With the Vancouver Canucks sputtering out of the gate to a 10-12-2 start, the organization has quickly become one of the NHL’s most talked-about teams for reasons they’d rather avoid. League insiders report that Vancouver’s front office has grown increasingly open to moving any, or even all, of its veteran players as it eyes a rapid shift toward youth and long-term promise.
At the heart of that urgency is the looming contract expiration of captain and franchise cornerstone Quinn Hughes at the end of next season. The Canucks are determined to assemble a young roster compelling enough to keep their superstar defenseman committed to Vancouver. That goal may force the team into difficult decisions, including the potential trade of sparkplug forward Kiefer Sherwood, a player whose profile could attract immediate interest from a club like the Detroit Red Wings.
Detroit has stumbled through a rough stretch of its own, winning just five of their last 13 games most recently suffering their worst defeat of the campaign, a 6–3 loss to the last place Nashville Predators, who entered the night with the league’s second-worst offense. Head coach Todd McLellan didn’t mince words afterward, expressing frustration with his team’s inconsistency.
“Where do we as a staff take this? It’s all over the map,” McLellan said. “We can’t get everything done in one day. Every time we get something and we grab onto it, we give something else back. That’s not the sign of a good team, good teams hold their lessons and they build off them.”
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Detroit’s biggest concern remains depth scoring with stars like Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat having to shoulder all of the offensive burden with the bottom six going ice-cold. Over the past 14 games, veterans Mason Appleton and Andrew Copp, along with rotation player in Jonatan Berggren and Elmer Soderblom, have combined for zero goals.
Marco Kasper, J.T. Compher and Michael Rasmussen haven’t fared much better, producing a total of just three combined goals in that same span. The Red Wings have experimented with bringing up rookies in Emmitt Finnie and Nate Danielson but the boosts have been fleeting.
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That is where Kiefer Sherwood enters the conversation as the 30-year-old winger brings what Detroit has lacked: tenacity, physicality, and the ability to tilt momentum with a single shift. Sherwood is coming off a career-best 40-point season, one in which he led the NHL in hits by a staggering margin, 462, an eye-popping 156 more than the next closest player. This season, he has continued that form. Sherwood sits second in the league in hits with 99 and has already posted 12 goals and four assists through 24 games, putting him on pace to surpass the 50-point plateau.
Despite being a Columbus native and a possible supporter of Ohio State ahead of Saturday’s The Game, Sherwood’s bruising, high-motor style appears tailor-made for Detroit’s identity. His versatility would allow him to slot naturally into the Red Wings’ third line, likely on the right side alongside Nate Danielson, while providing the much-needed grit and energy the team has been missing.
If Vancouver commits to its youth movement, Detroit may be able to leverage its surplus of young forwards. Players such as Jonatan Berggren or Elmer Soderblom could headline a package, giving the Canucks exactly what they are seeking: young, developing talent with room to grow and the opportunity for everyday NHL roles.
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