Sharks’ Kiefer Sherwood makes honest admission after Canucks trade

The San Jose Sharks are battling for a playoff spot as the NHL season nears the Olympic break. As a result, San Jose elected to fortify its roster for the first time under general manager Mike Grier. The Sharks acquired forward Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks before the trade freeze next month.

Sherwood has been involved in trade rumors for a while at his point. The journeyman forward has been a late bloomer, recently developing into a goal-scoring power forward. Despite the rumors, the newest member of the Sharks’ roster admitted that the deal caught him by surprise a bit.

“Obviously, [I was] a little caught off guard,” Sherwood said, via NHL.com. “… First and foremost, I’m really thankful for everything that the city and this organization has given me. And I know they say you earn it, but you’ve got to have the opportunity, and as a guy that has been a late bloomer, it’s everything I could have hoped for and more, and this is really a special place to play.”

San Jose’s spot in the postseason is far from secure. They currently own the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division, but there are multiple teams close behind. The Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, and Seattle Kraken are all within two points of the Sharks.

Sherwood should help provide needed goal-scoring depth. He joins San Jose having scored 17 goals and 23 points in 44 games for the Canucks. He is currently on pace for a career high 30 goals in 2025-26. Sherwood could make his Sharks debut on Tuesday night when San Jose takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning.