The Toronto Maple Leafs may re-enter the Kiefer Sherwood trade picture after a recently reported drop in the Canucks' asking price.
Don't look now, but the Maple Leafs are now just 2 points out of a playoff spot and are coming on strong at the midway point of the 2025-26 season.
Last night, we saw Leafs captain Auston Matthews return to form and showcase a level of dominance we haven't seen from him yet this season. His hat-trick propelled the Leafs to a 6-5 comeback win over the Winnipeg Jets, putting them 2 points back of the Buffalo Sabres for the 2nd Wild Card spot.
Once viewed as potential sellers, the Leafs suddenly look like a team who might look to add instead. Brad Treliving's belief in his group has been pretty consistent, and recent reports suggested that he was more likely to add than to subtract this year.
The cost of Kiefer Sherwood dropping?
One player who has been on the Leafs' radar is Vancouver Canucks heavy-hitter Kiefer Sherwood. Unfortunately, a sky-high asking price took the Leafs and most other teams out of the running. However, a new report has suggested that the asking price may have gone down.
Previously, the asking price for Sherwood started at a 1st round draft pick. Now, according to DFO's Frank Seravalli, the price on Sherwood is now "a second round pick plus".
What that "plus" is, we don't currently know. The Canucks may opt to accept a deal consisting of another NHL roster player and a 2nd round pick so they have someone to fill Sherwood's spot on the roster.
Could they be after a decent prospect instead? Would something like the Leafs' 2028 2nd round pick and defensive prospect William Villeneuve be enough to get a deal done?
The Leafs had a number of opportunities to bring Villeneuve up during a time when they were seriously lacking defensemen, and they opted not to. Rather than wasting his potential until he leaves as a free agent, would it make more sense to offer him up as a trade chip?
The one scenario that may not make sense for the Leafs is to trade multiple draft picks for Sherwood, as the team is not rich in draft capital.
Seravalli did not give any indication that the Leafs are one of the teams pushing to acquire the veteran forward, so we'll have to see how this one develops.