Sharks land Kiefer Sherwood, pay two second-round picks

On Monday, Sharks GM Mike Grier acquired forward Kiefer Sherwood from Vancouver for San Jose's 2026 and 2027 second-round selections, plus defenseman Cole Clayton. It's an official deal, not rumor season anymore.

Sherwood comes in riding a real heater, 23 points with 17 goals in 44 games, and he's doing it the hard way. The Sharks' release also notes 210 hits, second-most in the NHL, which matches the public stat trackers.

The contract piece matters too, because Sherwood carries a $1.5 million cap hit and can hit unrestricted free agency after the season. Vancouver's original signing announcement and current contract databases line up on that number.

San Jose is 24-20-3 in a messy but meaningful Pacific race, and this move screams «raise the floor right now.» The Sharks still bleed chances some nights, but adding a forecheck finisher helps you play in the other end.

Sharks fans have been begging for a winger who finishes checks and chances, and Sherwood checks both boxes. He gets in on the puck, arrives on time, and turns harmless dump-ins into uncomfortable shifts.

Tactically, his value is simple and repeatable: pressure on the wall, quick recovery, then drive the slot for a rebound or draw coverage. Even if his shooting cools, the hits and pace don't disappear.

Going the other way, Cole Clayton is a right-shot defenseman who has been playing in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda. He has 5 points in 30 games this season, and he turns 26 in February.

Two second-rounders is a real bite, especially in back-to-back drafts, so Sherwood needs to be more than a mood swing. The good news is he's not a mystery scorer, he's a known style, and he was originally signed as a free agent grind-to-grow type.

Now the next milestone is easy to circle, how fast Sherwood's game translates once the matchups tighten and the whistles get stingier.

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