If you thought the NHL trade market was starting to settle down, think again. Michael Russo of The Athletic dropped a bombshell regarding the Minnesota Wild and their “significant interest” in Vancouver Canucks winger Kiefer Sherwood.
Here is the fast takeaway: The Wild want grit. The Canucks are willing to sell. But the price tag just went from expensive to astronomical. Vancouver reportedly rejected a “good young prospect” and is now demanding a first-round pick AND a roster player for a pending UFA.
Keep reading to find out why this negotiation might be dead on arrival.
Analyzing the Canucks’ High-Stakes Poker Game
As an analyst who has tracked trade deadlines for years, I have to call this what it is: a massive heat check by the Canucks’ front office. Kiefer Sherwood is having a fantastic season. He brings energy, hits everything that moves, and chips in offensively. He is exactly the kind of player you want in a Game 7.
However, he is 30 years old and a Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) in July.
To ask for a first-round pick plus a roster player for a rental winger suggests that Vancouver believes Minnesota is desperate. We know the Canucks have had eyes on Marco Rossi since the offseason—and even reportedly sniffed around Aatu Raty—but let’s be realistic. There is no world where Bill Guerin trades a young center with Rossi’s ceiling for a rental grinder, regardless of how much “sandpaper” the Wild lineup needs.
The “Asset Management” Trap
The report indicates the Wild already offered a solid prospect. If I’m Vancouver, I take that deal and run. By holding out for a “Hampus Lindholm” style return (which is usually reserved for top-pair defensemen or elite scorers), the Canucks risk overplaying their hand. If the Wild pivot to a cheaper option, Vancouver loses Sherwood for nothing in free agency.
This feels like a classic case of a seller trying to squeeze a contender, but pushing just a little too hard. Unless the asking price drops back down to a second-round pick or a B-level prospect, expect the Wild to hang up the phone.
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