The Vancouver Canucks let it be known earlier this season that the team was open for business on their pending unrestricted free agents, but it appears their mindset has shifted on winger Kiefer Sherwood.

TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports that the Canucks are currently focused on whether Sherwood, who is drawing trade interest amid a career year, can be extended.

“There have been some discussions to that end over the holidays, and there’s a big gap here between where the team and the player have been,” Johnston explained on Insider Trading Tuesday. “But one interesting thing that’s developed is Christian Dvorak signed an extension with the Philadelphia Flyers a little north of $5 million on Monday on a five-year term. And while it’s not a perfect comparable for Sherwood – one’s a centre, one’s a winger – you know, they are in the same age band. Sherwood has outscored Dvorak, and there’s some thought maybe that could push conversations more towards getting something done.

“If not, of course, we’ll be talking about him getting traded at some point before the trade deadline.”

The 30-year-old Sherwood has 17 goals and 22 points in 42 games this season, on pace to top his career-best numbers posted last season with 19 goals and 40 points in 78 games.

Sherwood carries a cap hit of $1.5 million on his expiring two-year deal signed with the Canucks in 2024.

Undrafted to begin his NHL career, Sherwood has 60 goals and 120 points in 307 career games with the Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and Canucks.

Winger Evander Kane is the other top pending UFA on the Canucks, who currently sit second last in the Western Conference with a 16-21-5 record. The Canucks have already been involved in the league’s biggest trade this season, sending former captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild last month.

The trade deadline is just under two months away, set for March 6, and it appears the more significant moves still to come will be after the Olympic break, with action freezing on Feb. 4 until Feb. 22.

“What I’m hearing on an increasing rate here is that some contenders are hoping to wait until after the Olympics to make their major move before the trade deadline,” TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun explained Tuesday. “And the reason is twofold: One, as they’ve told me, if they’re trading for a player that’s playing in the Olympics, they want to make sure he doesn’t get hurt there before trading for him. But two, they themselves, most contenders, have players going to Milan. They want to make sure they don’t suffer an injury, in which case they would have to maybe pivot and change their trade deadline needs. So, teams are hoping to wait to make their major move.

“But, with cases like the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Winnipeg Jets, there are a number of teams that don’t have a choice that are going to have to act before that trade freeze for the Olympics because they have to save their season. They’re in desperation mode. So, I expect to see some smaller to medium moves in the next few weeks, but the bigger moves for contenders post-Olympics.”