Report: Canucks rejected big time offer from Rangers for Kiefer Sherwood

Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford has reportedly made it clear to GM's around the league that his team is open for business and that he's looking to wheel and deal some trades ahead of the NHL's February 4th Olympic trade freeze.

While star forward Elias Pettersson and undersized forward Conor Garland seem to be hogging most of the rumor headlines, pesky forward Kiefer Sherwood is also a tantalizing trade chip.

Earlier this week Canucks head coach Adam Foote confirmed that Sherwood will be out of the lineup with a nagging injury, but this hasn't prevented Rutherford from working the phones to make a trade.

"He's trying to go through something and my gut says it's probably gonna be a week to three weeks," Foote said on Monday.

Sherwood, of course, has been the focus of trade rumors for weeks now. Basically the moment that the Canucks traded captain Quinn Hughes fans have been speculating on who the team will trade next in their effort to "rebuild on the fly".

Sherwood's name jumped to the top of the trade targets around the league considering that he's on an expiring contract and that negotiations on an extension with the Canucks have reportedly been strained. The 30 year old forward is reportedly seeking a longer term deal as a free agent and will likely have options if he hits the open market.

He has 17 goals and 23 points in 44 games this season and is an absolute MENACE on the forecheck. In fact, he set an NHL record for hits in a season last year, blowing away the previous record by over 130+ hits on the campaign.

Today, NHL insider Chris Johnston reported that the New York Rangers had previously tried to acquire Sherwood this season, but were rebuffed by Rutherford and company.

"What the Rangers put on the table, I’m told, for trying to get Sherwood out of Vancouver was a young player with pedigree and a second-round pick," Johnston reported on TSN's Insider Trading segment earlier today.

"That wasn’t good enough to get it done recently," Johnston continued. "I think that tells us a lot about how Vancouver views the guy that it’s likely going to be having the easiest time to move. Sherwood certainly could be moved soon. Some of the teams around league are hoping the price drops though in order to make that happen."

We can only speculate who the "young player with pedigree" is that Johnston is referencing, but a quick review of the Rangers' roster puts these players into focus:

Alexis Lafreniere (doubtful)
Will Cuylle (also doubtful)
Brennan Othmann (Hmmmm)
Braden Schneider (Hmmmm)

Thoughts, Canucks fans?

Has Rutherford blown his chance to get value in a Sherwood trade?