This in from Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer, his speculation that power forward Kieffer Sherwood of the Vancouver Canucks would be a good fit for the Oilers, provided Sherwood does not sign a new contract in Vancouver.
On today’s show, Stauffer was asked if the Oilers might try to bring back gritty veterans Corey Perry from Los Angeles or Evander Kane from Vancouver at the 2026 trade deadline.
Stauffer suggested he’d like to see Edmonton go in a different direction.
“There’s a different pending UFA in Vancouver that I would look at that might be a better situational fit for what Edmonton needs,” Stauffer said of Sherwood, at first only hinting at the player’s identity, saying, “We’re probably talking a third line forward, a second slash third line forward, a middle sixth player. Who would you go grab? Because there is a guy I think that would be a pretty good fit.”
Stauffer noted that Sherwood is in the final year of a deal that pays him $1.5 million per year, and noted he’ll be a hot commodity if Vancouver can’t get him on a new contract. “There will be teams lined up to trade for him. He made over 450 hits last year, 19 goals. He was a major pain in the ass for Vancouver when they played Nashville (Sherwood’s team at that time) in the playoffs a couple years ago. … Represented by (Connor McDavid’s agent) Judd Moldaver. I’m sure the Canucks open up the vault to get the guys signed. I’m sure. But if they don’t, there will be lots of good teams interested in him.
My take
1. First off, this is just Stauffer speculating. He says he thinks Sherwood would be a good fit, not that the Oilers do, which would be a very different thing.
At the same time, Stauffer is the ultimate Oilers insider, he knows what’s going on with the team as well as anyone not in management’s inner circle.
When he speaks, I listen. When he speculates, I also take note.
In the case of Sherwood, I love this notion, as Sherwood has worked his way up to become at age 30 a strong NHL power forward. In fact, if we rank regular NHL forwards on points per 60 and hits per 60 at even strength — giving equal weight to both categories, Sherwood was on top of the NHL last year, ahead of better known power forwards such as Tom Wilson, Alex Ovechkin, Matt Knies, Sam Bennett, and the Tkachuk brothers, Matthew and Brady.
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Oilers fans got a good look at Sherwood on Sunday when the forward scored twice against Edmonton.
2. For Sherwood to be available at the trade deadline, Vancouver would have to be out of the playoff hunt and have good reason to believe that Sherwood did not want to sign a new contract there. Neither thing is likely to be true. It’s easy to see this Canucks team in the playoff hunt, especially if outstanding goalie Thatcher Demko stays healthy. It’s also the case that Sherwood might well want to sign with a team where he’s finally made a real mark in the NHL.
3. I’m not sure why Nashville let Sherwood get away. Big mistake. I’m also not sure how he’ll work out over time if he’s able to get a long-term contract. He’s 30, after all. He’s on his fifth NHL club. He’s only reached his potential as an NHLer in the past two seasons. Who knows if he can keep it up or how well his game will age? And some team is going to throw some term and money at him, given how well he’s played.
4. If he came to Edmonton, would he make sense as a one-year playoff rental?
Edmonton likes to trade for players at the deadline that it can later sign, with Brett Kulak, Mattias Ekholm, Trent Frederic and Jake Walman all in that category.
But if Sherwood keeps playing the way he’s been playing lately, he might well work out as a rental given Edmonton’s need for more toughness and aggression, combined with Sherwood’s solid hockey skills. It’s also not impossible to imagine that Sherwood and the Oilers could come to a new deal after the 2026 playoffs, at least if the (hypothetical) fit does prove to be sound.
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At the Cult of Hockey
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