Kiefer Sherwood's massive contract ask leading San Jose to an ultimatum
Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Kiefer Sherwood's $30 million contract ask has the San Jose Sharks sweating, because one wrong bet can wreck a cap sheet.
The number comes from Chris Johnston, who says Sherwood believes he can push for 'as much as $30 million on a long-term deal.'
That is not small talk. That is a player planting a flag before the deadline squeeze starts.
San Jose did not stumble into this situation by accident. The Sharks acquired Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks, and the price was real.
Two second-round picks and defenseman Cole Clayton went out the door to get him. That kind of buy usually comes with an extension plan.
The on-ice case is easy to see. Sherwood has 17-6-23 in 44 games, and it looks like a career year.
The part that scares teams is the calendar. Sherwood is 30, and that matters when the ask is term-heavy.
He is also an undrafted grinder who signed with the Anaheim Ducks in 2018, which tells you his path was work, not hype.
Kiefer Sherwood puts San Jose Sharks in a bind
Sharks fans can feel the pit in their stomach, because paying for heart is how good stories turn into bad contracts.
If $30 million means six years at $5 million, you are buying decline years on purpose. That is the hidden cost.
Sherwood's game runs on pace, pressure, and contact. Those tools win shifts now, but they can fade fast when the legs lose half a step.
We have watched wingers hit 31 and suddenly the forecheck is late. Andrew Ladd and Matt Beleskey are the caution tape for 'paid at the peak' deals.
There's also the shooting question. Sherwood's 17 goals came on 109 shots, and heaters do cool off.
The Sharks reportedly see a 'pretty big gap' between their number and his camp's number. That is the whole story in one line.
Now the deadline pressure hits both sides. If he keeps producing, the ask gets louder, and if he slows down, the leverage swings back.
Either way, San Jose has to decide what it bought, a top-six answer or a deadline asset that helps the rebuild breathe.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
NHL investigating William Nylander after inappropriate gesture on broadcast
NHL investigating William Nylander after inappropriate gesture on broadcast
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 26|238 ANSWERS Kiefer Sherwood's massive contract ask leading San Jose to an ultimatum Should the San Jose Sharks pay Kiefer Sherwood $30 million? | ||
| Yes | 52 | 21.8 % |
| No | 186 | 78.2 % |
| List of polls | ||