Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood has broken the NHL’s single-season hits record with his 384th in just his 66th game of the season.
The right-winger laid a hit on former teammate Carson Soucy of the New York Rangers just 19 seconds into the game to break the tie and hold the solo lead.
The record was previously owned by Sherwood’s former Nashville Predators teammate, Jeremy Lauzon, who held it for just under a year (341 days). Lauzon landed nine hits in the final game of the regular season against the Pittsburgh Penguins to surpass former NHL enforcer Matt Martin and his record of 382 he set back in 2014-2015 with the New York Islanders.
Sherwood signed a two-year, $3 million contract that pays him $1.5 million annually on July 1. Since joining the Canucks, the hard-hitting forward has been wrecking ball in the bottom six.
The undrafted winger started off on a historic pace to start his Canucks career, landing 59 hits through his first eight games. In four of those games, he finished with nine or more in a single game, topping out at 12 against the Chicago Blackhawks, which puts him in a tie for 19th for most hits in a single NHL game. Sherwood has recorded seven double-digit hit games this season.
Despite throwing his body around so much, Sherwood has missed just four games this season due to injury.
While being the physical presence that he is, the 29-year-old has had a career year offensively. Sherwood has already smashed his career high in goals with 15 and point totals with 29. He has played more than ever in his career, averaging 14:42 minutes per game, and if he plays just three more regular season games, he will surpass last year’s games played total of 68.
This matinee game in New York is massive for Vancouver. They currently sit just one point behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, while the Calgary Flames just sit one point behind them but with a game in hand. The Blues battle the 31st-ranked Chicago Blackhawks, while the Flames take on the 20th-ranked New York Islanders.