Kiefer Sherwood is the newest member of the San Jose Sharks, and they want to make his tenure last longer.
Sherwood is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, which the Sharks knew of course when they sent two second-round picks to the Vancouver Canucks to acquire the forward in a trade.
San Jose is already working on an extension.
According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, Sherwood's camp believes he can get a total value of $30 million per year on a long-term contract.
"There is still a pretty big gap between where the Sharks see Sherwood’s next contract going, and what he and his agent think is fair," Johnston said on TSN's Insider Trading.
Sherwood has scored 17 goals already this season, just two off his career-high, and the 30-year old is already over 200 hits on the season.
He has yet to make his debut for San Jose as he works himself back from a minor injury. The Sharks' next game is Friday, Jan. 23 at home against the New Jersey Devils.
Even if the Sharks aren't able to extend Sherwood, it wasn't a bad chance to take in a trade to see if he can help their rather young roster sneak its way into the playoffs.
But if they could get an extension agreed to with Sherwood, it could help them have a gritty tone-setter for years to come along a core of skilled players.
Sherwood's feelings may also change, positively or negatively, once he gets onto the ice for the Sharks. Maybe playing with Macklin Celebrini will convince him it's worth sticking around.
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