Kiefer Sherwood possesses many of the traits required to be a strong penalty killer in the National Hockey League. For starters, the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/stanchie-surprise-15-observations-canucks-win-flames">Vancouver Canucks</a> winger has speed and quickness. He’s abrasive and not afraid to sacrifice his body to block a shot or make a play. And as he has developed into a full time NHL’er, he’s learned to process the game at the highest level. 
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However, in previous stops in Anaheim, Colorado and most recently Nashville, the 29-year-old hasn’t been used in shorthanded situations. But Sherwood is hoping that changes in his first season with the Canucks.
“Yeah, it’s something that I’ve been trying to earn my way on to,” Sherwood said after getting the chance to kill penalties in Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime win over Calgary in Abbotsford. “Second half (of a penalty), got in there a little bit, maybe the last 20 or 30 seconds of the kill when guys start to get tired and I feel like we can use a spark and kind of turn it the other way. Use that momentum and the crowd to give us a boost once we finish it off. I think it’s part of my game and I want to continue to grow that as part of my identity and help the team feed off a big kill like that.”
While it’s only the first week of the preseason and the Canucks have yet to ice anything that resembles their full line-up, Sherwood certainly didn’t look out of place on the kill. In the second period on Wednesday, he showed terrific anticipation and deftly denied a Flames power play zone entry. The Columbus, OH native then pounced on a loose puck in the neutral zone and created a scoring chance as he took off in the other direction.
Sherwood – who has never scored a shorthanded goal in the NHL – had his one-handed misdirection attempt stopped by Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf. But there was plenty to like in that one play that should earn Sherwood more opportunities to skate short-handed as the preseason continues.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Kiefer Sherwood gets a short handed breakaway but can’t beat Dustin Wolf. <a href="https://t.co/Dz0cPJa4ru">pic.twitter.com/Dz0cPJa4ru</a>
&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1839149006422946058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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“I saw the puck was coming up and figured I’d try to get a stick on it and try to use my speed,” he explained. “I knew the D was on me so I tried to shield it. Probably shouldn’t have went one-handed. That’s not in my arsenal (laughs). I tried to shield him and I thought with that much speed, I might be able to pull him over, but probably better off just shooting it next time.”
In Nashville last season, Sherwood finished 15th among Predators skaters logging a total of 22:54 of penalty kill time (an average of just 20 seconds a game). In the six game opening round playoff series against the Canucks, he saw 2:43 on the penalty kill (27 seconds a game). 
With Elias Lindholm and Ilya Mikheyev jettisoned from last year’s roster, Dakota Joshua recovering from cancer surgery and unlikely to start the season and both Phil Di Giuseppe and Nils Åman in a battle just to lock down a roster spot, the Canucks are likely going to need a player like Sherwood to step into a penalty killing role.
They still have Teddy Blueger, Pius Suter and will likely use newcomers Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen up front on the kill, as well. But a team can never have enough short-handed specialists and it’s why the Canucks are giving Sherwood a serious audition through the exhibition schedule.
“Well, he’s got a good stick, he’s got speed and he’s not scared – those are pretty good are pretty good attributes as a penalty killer, right?” Rick Tocchet said. “He’ll block a shot. So I think we can teach him some stuff. I think he killed a little bit in Nashville in the playoffs, I think a couple of minutes in the series. I’d like to try to utilize that speed and tenacity.”
Sherwood says killing penalties is something he’s hoped to do elsewhere, but the opportunity hasn’t presented itself. But he’s at a point now in his career, where he thinks the time is right to add short-handed situations to the list of ways he can contribute.
“I’ve always tried to get on it,” he said. “At different levels, sometimes coaches put you in different situations and sometimes I’ve been more on the power play. Here, I want to be on the PK and I want the fellas to feed off that energy and try to turn some momentum.”
If Wednesday in Abbotsford is any indication, Sherwood took a sizable step in the right direction with his work on the penalty kill. It may very much be a work in progress, but it certainly seems like a role he was built for.
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Kiefer Sherwood during day one of Vancouver Canucks training camp from Penticton, BC. Sep. 19, 2024

Kiefer Sherwood possesses many of the traits required to be a strong penalty killer in the National Hockey League. For starters, the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/stanchie-surprise-15-observations-canucks-win-flames">Vancouver Canucks</a> winger has speed and quickness. He’s abrasive and not afraid to sacrifice his body to block a shot or make a play. And as he has developed into a full time NHL’er, he’s learned to process the game at the highest level. 
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However, in previous stops in Anaheim, Colorado and most recently Nashville, the 29-year-old hasn’t been used in shorthanded situations. But Sherwood is hoping that changes in his first season with the Canucks.

“Yeah, it’s something that I’ve been trying to earn my way on to,” Sherwood said after getting the chance to kill penalties in Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime win over Calgary in Abbotsford. “Second half (of a penalty), got in there a little bit, maybe the last 20 or 30 seconds of the kill when guys start to get tired and I feel like we can use a spark and kind of turn it the other way. Use that momentum and the crowd to give us a boost once we finish it off. I think it’s part of my game and I want to continue to grow that as part of my identity and help the team feed off a big kill like that.”

While it’s only the first week of the preseason and the Canucks have yet to ice anything that resembles their full line-up, Sherwood certainly didn’t look out of place on the kill. In the second period on Wednesday, he showed terrific anticipation and deftly denied a Flames power play zone entry. The Columbus, OH native then pounced on a loose puck in the neutral zone and created a scoring chance as he took off in the other direction.

Sherwood – who has never scored a shorthanded goal in the NHL – had his one-handed misdirection attempt stopped by Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf. But there was plenty to like in that one play that should earn Sherwood more opportunities to skate short-handed as the preseason continues.

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1839149006422946058

“I saw the puck was coming up and figured I’d try to get a stick on it and try to use my speed,” he explained. “I knew the D was on me so I tried to shield it. Probably shouldn’t have went one-handed. That’s not in my arsenal (laughs). I tried to shield him and I thought with that much speed, I might be able to pull him over, but probably better off just shooting it next time.”

In Nashville last season, Sherwood finished 15th among Predators skaters logging a total of 22:54 of penalty kill time (an average of just 20 seconds a game). In the six game opening round playoff series against the Canucks, he saw 2:43 on the penalty kill (27 seconds a game). 

With Elias Lindholm and Ilya Mikheyev jettisoned from last year’s roster, Dakota Joshua recovering from cancer surgery and unlikely to start the season and both Phil Di Giuseppe and Nils Åman in a battle just to lock down a roster spot, the Canucks are likely going to need a player like Sherwood to step into a penalty killing role.

They still have Teddy Blueger, Pius Suter and will likely use newcomers Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen up front on the kill, as well. But a team can never have enough short-handed specialists and it’s why the Canucks are giving Sherwood a serious audition through the exhibition schedule.

“Well, he’s got a good stick, he’s got speed and he’s not scared – those are pretty good are pretty good attributes as a penalty killer, right?” Rick Tocchet said. “He’ll block a shot. So I think we can teach him some stuff. I think he killed a little bit in Nashville in the playoffs, I think a couple of minutes in the series. I’d like to try to utilize that speed and tenacity.”

Sherwood says killing penalties is something he’s hoped to do elsewhere, but the opportunity hasn’t presented itself. But he’s at a point now in his career, where he thinks the time is right to add short-handed situations to the list of ways he can contribute.

“I’ve always tried to get on it,” he said. “At different levels, sometimes coaches put you in different situations and sometimes I’ve been more on the power play. Here, I want to be on the PK and I want the fellas to feed off that energy and try to turn some momentum.”

If Wednesday in Abbotsford is any indication, Sherwood took a sizable step in the right direction with his work on the penalty kill. It may very much be a work in progress, but it certainly seems like a role he was built for.

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Canucks’ Sherwood looks to add penalty killing duties to ways he can contribute

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