The Philadelphia Flyers may have had a good start to the season, but they'll have to navigate their way through the next couple of months. That's because one of their top goalscorers, Tyson Foerster, is sidelined after suffering an upper body injury. Due to this, the Flyers have the unenviable task of trying to replace his production.
One solution for the Flyers is to explore the trade market. Even though the majority of the NHL is in the playoff picture, there are teas open for business. The Vancouver Canucks let it be known that veteran players who are impending free agents are available. Out of the names, Kiefer Sherwood stands out. He's one of Vancouver's top scorers, and he spent a season under current Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet. The fit makes sense. But there has been a negative update.
According to Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic, the Canucks have raised their asking price for Sherwood. After initially wanting a "good, young prospect," the Canucks are now asking for a "good roster player...and a first-round pick."
Potential Flyers trade target Kiefer Sherwood's asking price just increased
The Athletic article mentions that the Minnesota Wild have been speaking with the Canucks about Sherwood and offered a young prospect as part of a trade. But since then, the Canucks decided to raise their asking price on Sherwood.
This season, Sherwood scored 12 goals and dished out four assists through 29 games. The problem is, Sherwood has gone without a point since Nov. 20 in Vancouver's 4-2 loss to the Dallas Stars. That's seven games Sherwood has played without logging a goal or an assist.
That is quite the cold streak for Sherwood. Considering he is set to hit free agency this upcoming summer, the Canucks asking for a first-round pick and a good roster player is a high price. It's unknown if the Flyers would sacrifice that much for a player who has never scored more than 19 goals in a season for just a couple of months.
The Flyers have had talks with the Canucks, but not necessarily about Sherwood. On the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Canucks have asked about Owen Tippett, but the Flyers aren't interested in dealing him.
"Owen Tippett has been a name around a lot and I kind of looked into this one a little bit. I think the Flyers are trying to do everything they can to calm the noise around him. I think it's bothered him a little it, I think he's definitely heard it. I think the Flyers are trying to say, 'look, this is not our doing.' And I do think the Canucks asked about him. I don't think that's going to be happening. But I've heard that the Flyers believe that there's another level they can get Tippett to," said Friedman.
The trade deadline is not until March 6, so there's plenty of time for the Flyers to explore trades. Not to mention, more teams may be more willing to sell. But for those connecting the Flyers to Canucks players, the asking price is high, especially for Sherwood.