Kiefer Sherwood was a thorn in the Vancouver Canucks鈥� side last spring.
Eight months later, the feisty winger has bloomed into one of the team鈥檚 top forwards.
Chants of 鈥淜ie-fer Sher-wood!鈥� echoed through Rogers Arena at multiple points on Monday night as the American forward scored his first NHL hat trick and powered the Canucks to a 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche.
Hearing his name ring out was 鈥渁 pretty special honour,鈥� Sherwood said.
鈥淚 was trying to take it in,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 really appreciate the fan support. Obviously, their passion is something that Vancouver is known for, and it鈥檚 pretty cool. I鈥檒l definitely remember it.鈥�
The Canucks鈥� faithful weren鈥檛 cheering for Sherwood in April as he used his speed and aggression to pester the team鈥檚 stars throughout a first-round playoff series between Vancouver and the Nashville Predators. The Canucks eventually prevailed in the six-game set.
The post-season run capped a career-best regular season where he racked up 10 goals, 17 assists and 41 penalty minutes in 68 games.
The 29-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, went on to sign a two-year, US$3-million deal with Vancouver when free agency opened on July 1.
Thirty games into his first season with the Canucks (16-9-5), he鈥檚 already put up a career-high 11 goals and is tied with Pius Suter for the second-most on the team behind Jake DeBrusk (14). Sherwood also leads the league in hits (184).
鈥淚 just try to put my work boots on each and every night and I think when you do that, sometimes good things happen,鈥� he said Monday.
鈥淎nd I鈥檓 just grateful for opportunity. There鈥檚 a lot of good players up and down the line up here, so it doesn鈥檛 really matter who we鈥檙e playing with, but I think when everyone contributes, it鈥檚 a fun group to be a part of and we showed that tonight.鈥�
The Canucks believed the six-foot-tall, 194-pound winger had more offence to give when they signed him, said head coach Rick Tocchet.
鈥淭his summer, I called him on a Sunday, he was going to shoot pucks because he told me, 鈥楬ey, I鈥檝e got some offensive game in me.鈥� So he does,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd he鈥檚 obviously an aggressive guy, and a guy that you need on the ice who gives us juice.鈥�
Sherwood had an even-strength goal, a short-handed goal, an empty-net goal and three assists in nine minutes and 31 seconds of ice time against the Avs.
He adds 鈥渁 little bit of everything鈥� to Vancouver鈥檚 team, said centre J.T. Miller.
鈥淥bviously the physical aspect everybody鈥檚 talked about,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut he鈥檚 got a lot more skill than people probably think and can shoot the puck really hard. And I think he put all that on display today. Happy for him. It was awesome.鈥�
As much as Sherwood was a pest for the Canucks last spring, he鈥檚 now an integral member of Vancouver鈥檚 team.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a guy that鈥檚 got a positive attitude every day, chatting guys up in the morning,鈥� said goalie Thatcher Demko. 鈥淢aybe you鈥檙e a little groggy before the practice but he鈥檚 bringing everyone鈥檚 energy up and he wears his heart on his sleeve, plays hard for us. And he was definitely really annoying to play against.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a good dude. We love having him around and everyone鈥檚 just pumped for him tonight, he played so well and getting a hat trick is really special for him.鈥�
Sherwood鈥檚 second goal of the night came on an Avalanche power play midway through the second period when he picked a puck off Colorado superstar Nathan MacKinnon near the benches.
The winger then raced down the ice and put a shot up and over the glove of Avs goalie Mackenzie Blackwood to give Vancouver a 2-0 lead.
It was then that the first chants rang out around the rink.
鈥淚鈥檓 just thankful for the support,鈥� Sherwood said of the fans. 鈥淚 was just trying to take it in. (It鈥檚) something you dream of as a kid. Those are the kind of moments that you work for and just kind of manifest and visualize. So I鈥檓 really thankful and grateful for them.鈥�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2024.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
