The Vancouver Canucks have let it be known the team is open to dealing its pending unrestricted free agents, but it appears the price for Kiefer Sherwood has gone up.
Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic report the Minnesota Wild have shown “significant interest” in Sherwood and offered a good young prospect to fit Vancouver’s asking price, but the cost has been upped and the Canucks “now want a good roster player and have also asked teams for a first-round pick.”
Unfortunately for Vancouver, the shift has timed up with a sudden downturn in production for Sherwood, who is without a goal in hispast nine games after scoring 12 goals in the first 20 games of the year. He’s without point in his past seven games, owning 16 points this season.
The 31-year-old winger carries a cap hit of $1.5 million on his expiring deal. He posted a career-high 19 goals and 40 points in 78 games last season, his first with the Canucks.
Undrafted to begin his NHL career, Sherwood has 55 goals and 114 points in 294 career games with the Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and Canucks.
Winger Evander Kane is the other top pending UFA on the Canucks roster as the struggling team eyes changes. Vancouver currently sits last in the Pacific Division with an 11-15-3 record. Trade rumours have also started to involve captain Quinn Hughes, who is signed through next season at a cap hit of $7.85 million.