In a move many San Jose Sharks fans have been expecting for weeks now, General Manager Mike Grier has added Kiefer Sherwood to the team. This morning, Grier announced that he traded the team’s 2026 and 2027 second-round picks and defenseman Cole Clayton to the Vancouver Canucks for the 30-year-old forward.
Clayton is a 25-year-old defenseman who had five points in 33 games for the San Jose Barracuda this past season. He was signed during free agency last summer to a one-year deal and will be a restricted free agent this summer. The Sharks needed to move a contract to Vancouver to make this deal work, and it looks like Clayton’s was the one to move.
What do the Sharks get in Sherwood?
Sherwood is in the final year of a contract that pays him $1.5 million dollars. He’s having a career season, scoring 17 goals and 23 points in 44 games.
Here’s a look at his regularized-adjusted plus-minus chart from Evolving-Hockey. You can see that, while he’s not moving the needle offensively, he’s also not a complete detriment on defense.
What’s more, he’s impactful on the power play. Let’s be honest now, how many of the current, “gritty” forwards in the bottom six can we say that about.
Sherwood brings the grit that GMMG likes in his bottom six players, which will be ideal if the Sharks make the playoffs. Currently, the team has bottom six players with grit, but they’re not scorers. Sherwood might have both in his arsenal. Plus, he can kill penalties.
“I’ve learned to love it,” Sherwood told Canucks Army when asked about killing penalties during training camp at the start of the season. “I think a lot of guys are power play guys growing up, but with my path and trying to scratch and claw, I’ve realized it’s an extension of the way I play and the identity and value I need to bring each and every night. I’ve learned to love it. Obviously, I love stirring it up a little bit, getting under guys’ skin, frustrating them, and shutting them down.”
While Sherwood might get some time in the top six, his ability to move up and down the lineup will certainly be invaluable to a team that’s finding its identity throughout this season.
What happens as the trade deadline moves closer?
The Sharks are sniffing around the playoffs now, but the team isn’t assured a playoff spot. There are still a few months before the trade deadline, so Grier has some time to make some decisions, and that could include flipping Sherwood’s contract again.
The good news is that the Sharks have time to bail out of this deal if the team falls out of a playoff spot near the March 6 trade deadline.
In the meantime, Sherwood could improve his numbers playing alongside Macklin Celebrini or on the Sharks’ power play and improve his value to other teams. It could be a win for the Sharks even if the team starts losing.
Conclusion
Grier alleviated Sharks’ fans’ number one fear by not overpaying for Sherwood. Many pundits had teams paying a first-round pick or mid- to top-level prospect for the forward. Grier paid none of that and still managed to land Sherwood. At the rate the Sharks are currently at, the second round picks look to be in the 45-50 range in 2026 and could be even in the 50-55 range in 2027 if all goes well for San Jose. While those are important picks, keeping the first-round picks is even more important.
Well done, GMMG.
