Nashville Predators are Blazing Hot: Four Unsung Heroes
By Chad Minton
Sherwood has Battled to Become an Everyday NHL Starter
When Kiefer Sherwood first started playing games for the Predators to begin in 2022-23 at the Global Series, you couldn't have expected him to become a regular producer just one season later.
Sherwood was signed by former general manager David Poile to a minimal NHL contract of $750,000 in the offseason of 2022. It didn't get much publicity at the time, and if anything, was more of a move for the Milwaukee Admirals. But Sherwood went on to score the first goal for the Predators in 2022-23, and then got sent down to the minors shortly thereafter before getting called back up for good in February.
Since then, Sherwood hasn't really looked back. He plays so hard and doesn't take shifts off. And actually has a pretty wicked shot when he gets loose. He has speed to go along with physicality.
Sherwood has 11 points in all 26 games for Nashville so far, and will easily crush his career high for points in a season. He has never played more than 50 games in a season, which was his rookie year in 2018-19 as an undrafted player.
While dealing with the injuries to Tommy Novak and Cody Glass, Sherwood has stepped up. The team has gone with 11 forwards and seven defensemen on some nights in the last couple of weeks and Sherwood has provided valuable minutes, including eight hits against the Lightning in his last game.
The Predators have a great chance to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024, and having these types of players just mentioned allows a team to survive the 82-game grind even when the significant injuries happen to the core of the lineup.