Kiefer Sherwood is showing so well on Elias Pettersson’s wing. Let’s talk about the stick he’s now using.
Kiefer Sherwood has been a goal scorer at every level but the NHL.
Recommended Videos
He’s scoring all kinds of greasy goals and all kinds of smooth goals.
I asked him about his stick this week.
“I was pretty stubborn,” he admitted to me. Until last season, he’d only ever used one stick pattern.
And you know what, fair enough. In his time in the AHL, he scored 92 goals in 186 career games. That’s a solid record.
But last season, he told me, he had a look at what Filip Forsberg was using and was convinced.
“I started to notice more of a pop off my shot,” he said. “Also more control in other areas, like better chips.”
The pattern? What’s become a modern classic: the P28. It’s an open blade pattern, known as a toe curve. It allows for quick release. It’s become a go-to for many players.
He’s also bumped up to a 90 flex, a stiffness he thinks will help him a little more in puck battles. And yeah, if you lean into your shot, there’s definitely more power.
Dump ins
Here’s an interesting data piece this week by Red Wings watcher Prashanth Iyer.
The Canucks are an exception: They’re dumping them in about the same as last season.
And, notably, they’re one of the best in the league at recovering the puck on their dump-ins.
Podz power
He’s playing with Leon Draisaitl and playing well.