With the Vancouver Canucks entering a roster revamp, it's clear that not many players currently on the roster are safe from the trading block.
That includes veteran forward Kiefer Sherwood, who had been a key part of the Canucks roster over the past few seasons.
With one month until the Olympic break and two months to go until the NHL's trade deadline, we're bound to receive some clarity soon on the Canucks' deadline business. Such clarity can be seen to surround Kiefer Sherwood's situation; several teams have already contacted Vancouver's front office to discuss a deal.
One such team is the Boston Bruins. With the Bruins still in playoff contention even after passing the season's halfway point, there is an increasingly-considerable chance the team will be a buyer ahead of the trade deadline. With Vancouver arguably looking to cut back on expiring contracts, sources say that Casey Mittlestadt, who had been involved in past transactions, could be a player of interest for Vancouver. Despite his $5.75 million cap hit for 2026-27, other players like Teddy Blueger and Evander Kane are set to hit the open market in the offseason, potentially making them trade targets as well. Moving those contracts could help to clear up some cap space in the event Vancouver wanted to flip Sherwood for Mittlestadt and a few picks.
In terms of contenders, Dallas has apparently contacted Vancouver to discuss a Kiefer Sherwood trade. With Tyler Seguin recovering from an ACL injury, the Stars will be looking for depth at right wing ahead of what should be another push for the Stanley Cup. For Vancouver to green light any trade, the return likely would have to involve a high draft pick, which the Stars don't control, or a depth piece or two and some mid-round picks. Mavrik Bourque has been a name floated around in this regard, however he is set to become a restricted free agent this offseason, potentially limiting the appeal for Vancouver. If Vancouver wants a longer contract, Colin Blackwell and Radek Faksa, both of whom are under contract for 2026-27, could be suitable options.
Staying in the Central Division, if you thought Minnesota wasn't done loading up after the Quinn Hughes blockbuster, you thought wrong. Sources suggest that the Minnesota Wild could add some depth scoring to help bolster their positioning in the division. With almost $2.5 million in cap space at this moment, and with PuckPedia projecting their deadline cap space to fall around the $10 million mark, Minnesota is going to have the space to make moves to improve the roster.
That said, any potential return is likely going to have to involve a player; Minnesota doesn't own any picks in the first two rounds of the 2026 NHL Draft, leaving a top-two pick out of the picture. If Vancouver were to trade Sherwood to the Wild, the return would likely be a mid-to-late-round pick and a depth player; Nico Sturm could be a name to watch in this regard.
One team that recently entered the picture is the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings' 25-15-4 start to the season has them in first place in the Atlantic Division and seven points above the Florida Panthers for a top-three spot in the division heading into Tuesday's NHL action. That said, that this is the first time in a while that Detroit has put itself in such a strong place in the playoff picture heading into the season's second-half. In addition, less than half of the Red Wings' roster has played in a postseason environment, making players with playoff experience a necessary commodity heading into the team's final forty games.
Even then, there are several factors that should make Detroit a strong contender to land Kiefer Sherwood. The Red Wings are currently sitting on $12 million dollars of cap space, and that is projected to increase significantly heading into deadline day. In addition, just six of Detroit's players are set to enter unrestricted free agency, making a potential player deal a little more appealing for the Canucks. And in terms of draft picks, the Red Wings hold picks in each of the draft's seven rounds.
What makes things all the more interesting is that the Red Wings are going to be hosting the Canucks in NHL action this Thursday. This will not only give the Red Wings' front office an opportunity to assess Kiefer Sherwood in-person, but it could potentially reinforce the team's desire to make a deal.
Does that mean we see a deal reported by Elliotte Friedman much sooner than the March 6th trade deadline? Not necessarily, but Thursday's game could accelerate the negotiation process.
With trade rumours accelerating across the NHL, Vancouver's place in the spotlight is set to gain increased importance. And with the team in position to potentially sell, Kiefer Sherwood and the trade business surrounding him could only increase the process that was started with the Quinn Hughes trade.