Wild’s perfect trade offer for Canucks’ Kiefer Sherwood

The Minnesota Wild are having a phenomenal season. The Wild are 27-13-9 on the season, and are sitting tied for second in the Central Division. The franchise has made the playoffs in four of the past five seasons, but has yet to advance out of the first round. If they want to make a run for the Cup this year, they still need to make some moves, and one of those is for Kiefer Sherwood.

The Canucks have signaled that they are open for business. They have already moved Quinn Hughes this year, and they traded him to the Wild. The cost was high for the Wild. They sent a 2026 first-round pick, plus Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, and Liam Ohgren to the Canucks to get the star blueliner. With the Canucks being willing to trade players, a deal between the Wild and Canucks could happen again.

Sherwood joined the NHL as an undrafted free agent, initially playing with the Anaheim Ducks. Through his time with the Ducks, and later the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators, Sherwood has often split time between the NHL and AHL. Since his final season in Nashville in 2023-24 and his time so far in Vancouver, he has been an NHL presence and is improving. In 2023-24, he amassed 27 points, and he racked up 40 points for the Canucks in 2024-25. He already has 23 points in 44 games so far this year. That places him on pace for a second straight 40-point season.

Why trade for Kiefer Sherwood?

The Wild need to keep up in the Western Conference. If the Wild hold on to a top-three spot in the Central Division, they would not have to play a team from the Pacific Division until the conference finals in the playoffs, unless they somehow grab the top seed in the division and face a wild-card team. Still, the Pacific has some solid teams. The Edmonton Oilers have made it to two straight Stanley Cup Finals, while the Vegas Golden Knights are leading the division. The Golden Knights also just added Rasmus Andersson in a trade with the Calgary Flames.

Meanwhile, the Wild have heavy competition in their own division. The Avalanche are the top team in the NHL right now, and they will likely be looking to add before the trade deadline. Further, the Dallas Stars are also expected to be active in the trade market, and would be the first-round matchup currently. As the standings hold, a run to the Cup Final could mean a series against the Stars, Avalanche, and either the Oilers or Golden Knights. If the Wild want to make a run, they need to improve.

The Wild are scoring 3.10 goals per game this year, placing them 17th in the NHL. Sherwood would give the Wild another scoring option on the second or third lines. Still, the biggest issue for the Wild has been the special teams. The team is 11th on the powerplay and 27th on the penalty kill. Sheerwood has been solid on the powerplay this year, with ten points with the man advantage. That would place him tied for third in powerplay points on the Wild.

Meanwhile, the Wild are 27th on the penalty kill. Sherwood has shown in his career that he is great when playing down a man. He would be a massive improvement for the unit and could make a huge impact against some conference foes who are great on the man advantage. Sherwood would be a perfect fit for the team and at a solid price. While it would be a rental, the Wild have already shown they are willing to go all-in for a run, and this would be another peice.

What will be the perfect offer for Sherwood? 

The Wild have already given up their 2026 first-round pick to the Canucks to acquire Quinn Hughes. They are also without their second-round pick due to the Gustav Nyquist trade from 2025. Meanwhile, the team does not have a 2027 second-round pick either. It is highly unlikely the Wild will want to give up another first-round pick, especially for a currently injured player who is a rental. While Sherwood is expected back soon, the Wild will want to make a package that does not involve a first-round pick.

Further, the Wild will likely need the Canucks to retain some of the salary of Sherwood, even though he is making just $1.5 million this season. This is going to make the need for a quality package even greater. Other teams will likely be offering a first-round pick, so the front office in Minnesota will need to be creative. Adding in the fact that the Avalanche are already great, and the Golden Knights just added to their roster, keeping up in the Western Conference means making moves.

The Canucks are clearly in a rebuild, so draft picks will be important, and draft picks that happen quickly become more important. Minnesota could punt on the 2026 NHL Draft, not having a first or second-round pick, but also making an immediate run. The Wild could start with this year’s third and fourth round picks, while also sending their 2028 second round pick.

Regardless, the three picks alone do not have the value of a first-round selection, which means the Wild will also need to add a solid prospect. One option could be Charlie Stramel. He was the number 21 overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft and is currently playing at Michigan State. The Minnesota native is a solid defensive forward who can be a great playmaker. He has a similar profile to Sherwood, but will need to develop his scoring ability. Still, his value would push the Wild over the top here.

Another option is Ryder Ritchie from Boston University. He was a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Ritchie is younger than Stramel and is not the same level of defender. Still, he is already a more refined scoring threat and a much better goal scorer. Offensively, his upside is greater, especially on the power play, but he still needs to develop defensively.

Regardless, the Wild can make a perfect trade offer without giving up a first-round pick. The combination of a 2026 third and fourth round pick, with a 2028 second round pick, plus either Ritchie or Stramel will be enough to send Sherwood to Minnesota.

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