NHL Rumors: Kiefer Sherwood's Hometown Team Talking Trade With Canucks
They see themselves as a group on the cusp that wants to make noise, not start selling off pieces. That makes Kiefer Sherwood a very natural target.
The hometown power forward is leading the Vancouver Canucks in goals, and is exactly the type of top nine winger contenders chase at the deadline. Multiple insiders have confirmed that Columbus has already called Vancouver, and there is a real sense that the Blue Jackets intend to stay in that mix.
Why Kiefer Sherwood fits the Blue Jackets
Sherwood checks every box for what Columbus needs right now. He is 30, plays a gritty, straight line game, scores at five on five, can help both special teams and is comfortable anywhere in a top nine role.
He set a career high in goals last season and is on pace to top it again while still throwing his weight around. On top of that, he carries a very manageable 1.5 million dollar cap hit in the final year of a two year deal, with no commitment beyond this season.
Aaron Portzline: "The Blue Jackets are among the clubs that have spoken to the Vancouver Canucks about trade scenarios, including a trade that could bring forward Kiefer Sherwood home to Columbus" - The Athletic (12/1)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) December 3, 2025
Sherwood is a Columbus native who came through the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets program, the kind of story this market loves. The organization is clearly trying to change the mood around the room after a string of blown leads, injuries to players like Mathieu Olivier and Erik Gudbranson, and the absence of Captain Boone Jenner.
Adding a hard working, physical scorer with local roots would give coach Dean Evason another trusted winger and send a strong message to the room that management believes in this group.
Crowded market and other options for Columbus
If there is a complication for the Blue Jackets, it's not their interest level, it's the market. Vancouver knows they are sitting on one of the few true impact forwards in what is shaping up to be a thin 2026 free agent class.
The Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins all make sense as suitors and have already been linked to Sherwood. The Canucks can afford to let the bidding build, but they also run the risk that his scoring cools off or he gets hurt, which would dent his value.
What would a team like the Blue Jackets pay to bring Kiefer Sherwood back home to Columbus?
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) December 3, 2025
Presented by | @bet365ca (19+) #bet365 #NeverOrdinary pic.twitter.com/TLtYlBeiQl
A deal for Sherwood would probably cost futures that could otherwise be used on a stabilizing top four defender. Even so, with the Blue Jackets clearly trying to compete now and Sherwood fitting both the city and the roster, it would be a surprise if they are not one of the last teams standing whenever Vancouver finally decides to move him.
Photo Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
