San Jose Sharks forward Kiefer Sherwood is a late bloomer by NHL standards, but the winger got his confidence boosted by Rick Tocchet.
When he signed his extension, Sherwood went out of his way to mention the Philadelphia Flyers coach for believing he could be a $5 million AAV player in the NHL. Now with a five-year contract with an AAV of $5.75 in his bag, Sherwood will play against Tocchet.
“He was a coach that helped me grow my game and add and build my identity,” Sherwood told SHD. “[He] helped me take the next step in my career.”
Tocchet met with reporters before the San Jose Sharks game against the Flyers on Saturday and discussed why he believed in Sherwood so much during his time with the Vancouver Canucks.
“He was terrific for me. He can score, obviously, but he can solidify a third line,” Tocchet explained. “He’s the prototypical third line, right winger. Can fight, hit, kill penalties, and play the power-play. He does it all. He deserves the money. I mean, he’s a hell of a player.”
Sherwood’s impact on the Sharks roster has been felt right away. He’s got four goals and two assists in 13 games with the Sharks. The winger is known for his physicality and skating ability, but he also has an elite shot, which Tocchet says he worked on a lot.
“I always tell the story. I think of July when we signed him. You try to get in touch with players. It was a Sunday, and I called him. It was like two o’clock in the afternoon, and he was actually in a warehouse shooting pucks. You know, it was like July, probably 100 degrees. I think it was in Columbus,” Tocchet said. “Some players tell you, Oh, yeah, I’m working out, coach. But he was actually working out. I could hear the pucks in the background. Yeah, he worked on his shot all summer.”
Sherwood has displayed his shooting ability on multiple occasions for the San Jose Sharks. His first goal for his new team was a game-winning goal against the Montreal Canadiens.
So what did Tocchet say to Sherwood that resonated so well with him?
“He commands a lot of respect. [He] was nails when he played. I think a lot of guys in Vancouver have good experiences with him, and just helping build their game,” Sherwood said. “He found the sweet spot of getting the team together, but also letting guys be themselves a little bit.
He’s a great hockey mind and someone that you always try to pick a little bit. He’s been around the game for so long. As a player, as a coach, and obviously, he’s an analyst now, sometimes.”
Sherwood went from being a career minor league player to exploding into a consistent 20-goal scorer as soon as he got to Tocchet’s coaching.
“I think he’s really worked on his hands. Like, he’s got good hands, and he’s got a great shot, scored a lot of shots down the wing on a goalie,” Tocchet said. “Short-handed goals, and he gets the crowd pumping up. I’m sure he’s done it here. The Vancouver fans loved him.”
Sharks fans have already started to fall in love with him, and they have only seen the start. If and whenever Team Teal gets into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Sherwood’s playstyle will be a perfect complement to the stars.
