Even the most optimistic of preseason predictions likely didn’t see Kiefer Sherwood making this type of impact for the Vancouver Canucks.
The winger is scoring goals, hitting everything that moves, and being an all-around super pest. He’s been an incredible addition to the Canucks lineup.
Sherwood’s 72 hits through 11 games lead the NHL and have him on pace to smash the record by more than 150. While he might not be able to keep up this jaw-dropping hit pace, he’s proving he’s among the best in the NHL at laying the body.
NHL.com
The 29-year-old is not only racking up the hit numbers but also being extremely effective at getting under his opponent’s skin.
Watch any Canucks game and you’ll see Sherwood masterfully playing the mind games that frustrate even the most steady of players. He’s a pain to play against and brings that annoying energy that all the best bottom-six players have.
iconic pic.twitter.com/RRfkrnTepT
— ☆ all stars ☆ (@PuckingDelulu) November 6, 2024
While Sherwood was expected to be a pest when he joined the Canucks, he’s blown projections out of the water when it comes to the offensive side of the game.
The forward is fifth on the Canucks in scoring with seven points in 11 games. He’s put up those numbers despite getting no power play time, recording all his points at strength.
Sherwood has more even-strength points than NHL superstars like Filip Forsberg, Sebastian Aho, Jason Robertson, Brad Marchand, Kevin Fiala, and many more.
He’s on his way to besting the career-high 27 points he managed with the Nashville Predators last season.
Sherwood snipe! 😤 pic.twitter.com/2O52MXGg5f
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 6, 2024
All of this incredible performance is costing the Canucks just $1.5 million per season, and they have Sherwood locked up for next season. He’s been the perfect free-agent addition thus far and fits perfectly on the team’s third line.
The Canucks had a lot of success rolling out a third line of Dakota Joshua, Teddy Blueger, and Conor Garland last season. They got to feast on other teams’ bottom-sixes, helping swing many games.
That line is not together this year, but Sherwood has been a key cog of a new third line producing similar results for the Canucks. He, alongside Danton Heinen and Blueger, has been giving other teams fits.
The trio has played just over 61 five-on-five minutes together and they’re outscoring opponents 6-2 while controlling 57.49% of the expected goals during that time. They’ve been a great weapon for head coach Rick Tocchet to roll out and keep the pressure on while giving the big names a break.