Canucks: The Edmonton Oilers don’t have what it takes to trade for Kiefer Sherwood

Of course, the exact claims made here by Dhaliwal and Stauffer are likely true, in that the Oilers would and should have major interest in Sherwood. As it stands, the Oilers are low on both cap space and compete, and there’s no better bang-for-buck available among pending UFAs than Sherwood and his current $1.5 million cap hit. Sherwood on the Oilers automatically makes them a much stronger contender, and possibly even tips them over to being ‘the favourite’ in single-handed fashion.

It’s just that we do not see Edmonton as a realistic destination for Sherwood in any way, shape, or form.

Let’s start with the optics. If the Canucks ever trade Sherwood, it will be a day of lamentation in Vancouver. Few fan favourites have ever fan-favourited harder than Sherwood has. Imagine the feeling, then, if Sherwood were headed across the border to Alberta? It would be among the least popular trades ever conducted by this franchise, and that’s saying something.

There’s also something to say about that notion of not wanting to trade an impactful player within one’s own division, so as to avoid facing that player for too many ‘revenge’ games in the years to come. Well, Sherwood is an incredibly impactful player in every sense of the word. The thought of Sherwood bringing his particular brand of intensity to bear against the Canucks on behalf of the Oilers for years to come is almost too much to bear.

And let’s not even get into what it would feel like to see Sherwood actually help Edmonton reach that particular glory they’ve been chasing after these last few years. We’re getting a little sick just thinking about it.

But those are all fairly emotional reasons, and those only go so far in hockey. Thankfully, Sherwood-to-Edmonton is also unrealistic for a multitude of practical reasons.

Look, if the Canucks do decide to trade Sherwood instead of extending him, it will be an unpopular decision. At the same time, however, the potential is there for Sherwood to bring back an absolute haul, and that could help take some of the sting out of the transaction.

But the Oilers just don’t have a haul to offer. We can probably all agree that if a first round pick or its equivalent isn’t coming back, at a minimum, the Canucks should have no interest in selling Sherwood. Well, the Oilers have already traded their first round pick this year – which was probably going to be an extremely low first round pick, anyway.

The Oilers do have their 2027 and 2028 first round picks. But imagine the Canucks trading a player as beloved as Sherwood for a late first, and then having to wait a full year to even use that selection. Talk about a PR nightmare.

Given their recent run of success, it should come as no surprise that the Oilers’ prospect cupboard is totally bereft. Their best overall prospect, Beau Akey, is a right-shooting defender, which is the position the Canucks might need the least help at – and he’s not exactly a blue-chipper, anyway.

The Oilers’ top young forwards on their roster are both somewhat-undersized wingers in Ike Howard and Matt Savoie. Neither should hold much interest for the Canucks, and neither should anyone ranked below them on the depth chart.

Really, the Oilers have essentially nothing appropriate to offer up in return for Sherwood’s services. And that’s not even taking into consideration that, all things being equal, it should be costing the Oilers an intradivisional tax to acquire anyone of note from the Canucks.

If Edmonton wanted to get truly wild, and perhaps offer up both the 2027 and 2028 first rounders for Sherwood, well, sure, then maybe that’s something the Canucks would have to consider. But that seems extremely unlikely. And that’s probably where we can leave the discussion: barring a ridiculous overpayment that absolutely drains their already-dwindling future reserves, the Oilers simply cannot afford to trade for Sherwood.

So, if it helps, breathe a little sigh of relief on this notion alone.

We can hope that Sherwood remains with the Canucks, and signs an extension. We cannot say that will happen with absolute certainty.

But we can state with strong confidence that Sherwood will not be traded to the Oilers, despite their reported interest.

And that’s something, at least.