Trade grades: Grier gives Sharks vote of confidence with Sherwood deal

We're back for more trade grades. Just like Sunday's Rasmus Andersson deal, Monday's swap involved two Pacific Division clubs, this time with the Vancouver Canucks sending Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks. Here's the full trade:

Below, we hand out grades for each team.

San Jose Sharks

Sharks general manager Mike Grier is giving his team a huge vote of confidence, which should fire up the dressing room. Many expected the Sharks to finish near the bottom of the NHL standings again after coming dead last a year ago, but they're clinging to a playoff spot - barely.

It's great for their rebuild to be progressing so quickly, but I didn't think they'd be in a position to go shopping for one of the top rental players available without an extension in place. It wouldn't be surprising if the Sharks eventually extend Sherwood; they project to have an absurd $53.7 million in cap space this offseason. At the same time, I wouldn't blame him for wanting to test free agency. He turns 31 in March, so this would likely be his best chance to cash in.

The Sharks could also theoretically flip Sherwood for a similar return before the March 6 deadline if they fall out of the race or the two parties can't get on the same page about an extension. There's plenty of time.

Spending two second-rounders is fine, especially considering the Sharks' other assets. They're loaded with prospects and still have a pair of 2026 first-round picks (their own and the Oilers') and the Avalanche's 2026 second-round selection.

There's some risk involved with Sherwood being on injured reserve, but it appears he'll be able to return following the Olympic break at the latest.

The fit should be great once Sherwood hits the ice - any team could use a player like him. He's scored at a 24-goal pace (over 82 games) since the start of last season. He also set an NHL record with 462 hits last season and is second in the league with 210 in 2025-26. His underlying numbers have been strong over the last few seasons, too.

The Sharks didn't have a player with this combination of physicality and offensive ability. He should be a nice complement to San Jose's several young, skilled forwards. A line of Sherwood, Macklin Celebrini, and Will Smith could be really fun.

Grade: B+

Vancouver Canucks

I thought the Canucks might be able to get a first-round pick for Sherwood since his game is built for the playoffs. His bargain cap hit of $1.5 million would've made him an option for every buyer, too. Perhaps the Canucks could have fetched that first-rounder if they waited until the deadline was closer and created a bidding war, but it's impossible to know.

Sherwood's unique, so it's tough to find comparable trades. The closest, most recent deal for a rental winger was Tyler Toffoli getting moved from the New Jersey Devils to the Winnipeg Jets in 2024 for a second-round pick and a third-round pick.

The Canucks make out pretty well in comparison, especially considering there's no guarantee the Sharks make the playoffs this season or in 2027. Those picks could be in the upper middle of the second round.

Clayton, a 25-year-old career minor leaguer, isn't much of a factor in this deal.

Grade: B-