NHL Trade Rumors: Sharks Join the Kiefer Sherwood Sweepstakes

Wednesday, December 31, 2025 ,
Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood reacts during 2025 game.

Kiefer Sherwood’s name is as hot as a name in the trade market can really get right now.

Insider Elliotte Friedman said the San Jose Sharks have shown interest in Sherwood, which is a notable twist for a team trying to climb out of rebuild mode while adding players who can raise the floor right now.

Sherwood is turning into the kind of trade chip Vancouver can leverage hard. He is producing, he is nasty to play against, and he is doing it on a bargain cap hit. 

That mix pulls in everyone from playoff teams looking for a third line driver to aggressive risers who want to speed up their timeline. San Jose fits the second category perfectly.

Why the Sharks are circling Sherwood

Friedman’s note matters because the Sharks are not typically thrown into the mix unless there is actual smoke. Sherwood gives you exactly what a young roster needs around its skill players, which is pace, forecheck pressure, and a guy who drags teammates into the fight when games get heavy. He is also the type of winger who can protect leads, kill penalties, and still chip in offense, which is how you steal points in tight games even if you are not a true contender yet.

The way Sherwood plays is exactly the type of player you want to surround your talented young core with.

The other big pull is the contract. Sherwood’s $1.5 million cap hit makes him easy to fit, which means the Sharks can get involved without contorting the roster. If San Jose believes it is closer than people think, a player like Sherwood is a great way to add bite and depth without taking on a massive long term commitment.

What Vancouver could demand in a Sherwood trade

Vancouver holds the leverage because Sherwood checks so many boxes, and the bidding line is growing. The Canucks can wait for the offer they like, but waiting also comes with risk, because the more a player throws his body around, the more you worry about something going wrong before you cash him in.

Currently, the Canucks reportedly want a first-round pick plus a good prospect or NHL ready player. The Sharks own two first-round picks in the upcoming draft, one being the Edmonton Oilers.

Some floated trades see the Sharks sending the Oilers' first-round pick plus one of their blue-chip prospects in Quentin Musty or Filip Bystedt. 

That feels a little too rich for Sherwood. More likely, the Sharks could send the Oilers first-round pick plus Ethan Cardwell, one of their solid prospects. If Canucks want something a little better than Cardwell, they could convince the Sharks to part with Leo Sahlin-Wallenius or Luca Cagnoni, which could be hard to do.

The Athletic's Scott Wheeler described Cardwell in this way:

"He’s a crafty playmaker who knows his way around the ice, plays fast and works hard to win his races and come away from the wall with the puck to make something happen. He’s got good anticipation and instincts, both on and off the puck. He plays with jump and sense/feel. And while he may just top out as a No. 13 forward type because he’s not the prototypical bottom-sixer in terms of size and physicality, I think he’s got the defensive conscience to potentially become a skilled bottom-sixer who could play up the lineup in a pinch."

So far, in his time in the AHL, Cardwell has put up 37 goals and 100 points across 149 games played. He's 5'11, and weighs 180 pounds.

Photo Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Go To: NFL Rumors | NBA Rumors | MLB Rumors