Kiefer Sherwood signed a two-year, $3 million deal with the Vancouver Canucks on July 1.
The Vancouver Canucks became a more annoying team to play against when they signed Kiefer Sherwood on July 1. The 29-year-old winger, who signed a two-year, $3 million contract with the Canucks has developed into one of the league's most annoying pests, getting the under the skin of anybody who crosses his path. Sherwood's addition also gives Vancouver another depth that can play up the lineup and provide value on special teams.
It is always a positive when the first thought that comes to a player's mind is thank goodness, I don't need to play against them anymore. According to GM Patrik Allvin, this was the reaction that Quinn Hughes when he found out about Sherwood, saying, "Quinn, he was more excited about Sherwood than anyone. He said he pissed the whole team off there in the playoffs and played hard, so he was laughing. He was happy to get him here." Coming from a now Norris Trophy-winning defenceman, this is a massive compliment, especially considering that Sherwood played primarily bottom-six minutes, averaging just under 12 minutes a game.
A staple of Sherwood's game is his physicality. He finished third on the Nashville Predators in hits during the regular season with 234 while adding 33 in six playoff games against Vancouver. Based on last season's total, the Canucks now have three players who surpassed the 200-hit mark while also having two of the top 12 forward-hit leaders from the 2023-24 campaign.
One underrated part of Sherwood's game is his ability to create takeaways. In 2023-24, he finished with 2.53 takeaways per 60 minutes, which ranked 30th among forwards in the NHL who played at least 50 games. For reference, only one player on Vancouver's roster finished above him, with that being Conor Garland, who had 2.56 takeaways per 60. The ability to create takeaways often gets overlooked, but it shows that Sherwood is constantly pressuring puck carries and is able to do enough to force turnovers.
The last impressive stat associated with Sherwood is zone time. According to NHL EDGE, Sherwood spent 43.9% of his even-strength time in the offensive zone. That ranked in the 91st percentile, while his 36.5% in the defensive zone ranked in the 94th percentile. In short, Sherwood is one of the best at keeping the puck in the offensive zone, which will be a significant benefit for the Canucks next season.
Ultimately, Allvin and his team made a smart move by signing Sherwood. Not only did they add physicality to the lineup, but they also brought in a player with significant upside. At $1.5 million per season, Sherwood should easily outperform his contract, providing surplus value to Vancouver's lineup.
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