On one play Saturday night, Kiefer Sherwood showed he’s everything the San Jose Sharks needed.
Sherwood has been a bit of an NHL journeyman. He started his career with the Anaheim Ducks, and has since played for the Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks.
The Sharks traded for him before the 2026 NHL trade deadline, though, and then made it a point to sign him to a contract extension.
Clearly, San Jose believed Sherwood was a good fit for their roster, and he’s proving that very true.
Kiefer Sherwood’s Perfect Play
On Saturday night, Sherwood made a play that was so much an epitome of who he is.
It’s also exactly what the Sharks need him to do.
Sherwood put pressure on, stole the puck, and then slotted it home for a goal.
And as he skated away to celebrate, he hit a Kings player out of the way.
Defense, offense and physicality — all in one.
Kiefer Sherwood intercepts a pass, fires it home, and then shoves a Kings player mid-celly 😭💀 https://t.co/dmmWJLhgp8
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) October 4, 2026
Think about what this Sharks team is — they’re young talent hoping to rise up the NHL ranks, led by Macklin Celebrini, the best young player on the planet.
A team like that doesn’t just need more production. A team like that needs a presence, someone who has seen it all, and someone who doesn’t mind doing the dirty work.
Sherwood embraces physicality. He loves to set the tone. He knows what it takes to win NHL games.
That’s an ideal player for the Sharks to have, and he’s not really past his prime, either. He’s arrived in San Jose at just the right time.
Kiefer Sherwood Stats
Sherwood entered the NHL as an undrafted player after playing his college hockey at Miami (Ohio).
His first two seasons were with the Ducks. He then had two with the Avs and two with the Predators.
Then it was a season-and-a-half with the Canucks before his trade with the Sharks.
This could be his longest tenure with San Jose, if he can prove to continue being this valuable.
So far, so good.
Sherwood had his best NHL season in 2024-25 with the Canucks — he had 19 goals and 21 assists to go with an absurd 462 hits. He then had 339 hits and 36 points combined last season between Vancouver and San Jose.
Through two games this season, he already has 13 hits to go with that goal — and it doesn’t count the post-goal hit, either.
Sherwood is exactly who he is, and it’s exactly who the Sharks need.
How Kiefer Sherwood Shows He’s Exactly What Sharks Needed