Sharks activate Kiefer Sherwood from injured reserve

A newly-acquired asset is set to make his debut with his new team.

The San Jose Sharks have activated forward Kiefer Sherwood from injured reserve, with the expectation that he will be in the lineup on Wednesday night when the team takes on the Colorado Avalanche.

Sherwood was recently acquired by the Sharks in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks. San Jose gave up American Hockey League defenseman Cole Clayton and two second-round picks to get the power forward.

The 30-year-old hasn’t played since Jan. 10 due to an undisclosed injury he suffered while with the Canucks. He was seen taking line rushes during practice on Tuesday, showing he was closing in on his eventual return to play.

Sherwood was a sought-after asset by teams looking to deepen their roster in hopes of helping their postseason chances. He had proven to be a viable scoring threat with a physical style of play that can be effective come playoff time.

Last season, the Columbus, Ohio native had a career-best season, scoring 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points, while delivering an NHL record 462 hits. This season, on a floundering Canucks team, he has potted 17 goals and six assists for 23 points in 44 games. Prior to the injury, Sherwood had a plus/minus of -12 while averaging a career-best 17:32 of ice time.

Sherwood is in the final season of his two-year contract that he signed with Vancouver in 2024. The deal carries a $1.5 million cap hit.

Through 309 regular-season games in the NHL, Sherwood has posted 60 goals and 121 points. He also has two points in eight Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The Sharks (27-23-4) are sixth in the Pacific Division, three points back of the last Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.