Western Conference team miss on Rasmus Andersson, then lose Kiefer Sherwood in latest trade
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Daniel Lucente
Jan 19, 2026 (2:26 PM)
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Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Dallas Stars hesitation cost them as Rasmus Andersson landed with the Vegas Golden Knights and Kiefer Sherwood was shipped to the San Jose Sharks.
This was not about splash hunting or fantasy trades.
Both Andersson and Sherwood sat squarely in Dallas' wheelhouse, connected to the Stars through steady, credible league chatter that never quite turned into action.
Vancouver moved him to San Jose, and with that, Dallas lost a winger who fit their playoff profile almost too neatly.
At 30, undrafted, and carrying a $1.5 million cap hit, Sherwood checked every quiet contender box.
He leaves the Canucks with 17 goals and 23 points in 44 games, almost all of it at five-on-five.
That matters for a Stars team that can go cold when the ice shrinks and space disappears.
Sherwood turns dump-ins into real possessions.
He finishes checks, wins races, and does not need power-play usage to tilt shifts.
Dallas circled, waited, and watched him go to a team that simply acted.
They also missed on Rasmus Andersson, as he was sent to Vegas. This was the kind of move that changes a Western Conference balance, and the Stars were very much aware of it unfolding.
Dallas Stars miss Rasmus Andersson, Sherwood gone
Andersson, 27, is a right-shot defenseman who eats hard minutes.
He averages over 23 minutes a night, moves the puck cleanly, and can play against top lines without shelter.
Vegas saw the opening and closed it.
For Dallas, the fit was obvious.
Too much of the defensive load still funnels through Miro Heiskanen, and Andersson would have stabilized pairings immediately while easing those minutes.
He brings offense as well, with 7 goals and 22 points this season, but the real value is how he pushes play north after defensive-zone starts.
That is playoff utility, not just regular-season shine.
From a fan angle, this one stings more because neither price felt unreachable.
This was not about emptying futures or blowing up the cap sheet. It was about timing and conviction.
The Stars are a good team.
Their record says so.
But good teams still need edges, and Dallas just watched two of them go elsewhere in the same market window.
The online reaction captured it perfectly, less outrage and more disbelief that both slipped by.
There is still runway before the deadline dust settles, but the board is thinner now.
Sherwood is a Shark, Andersson is a Golden Knight, and patience has a way of becoming regret.
Dallas does not need a miracle.
They just need to wake up before the next name disappears.
Also read on HockeyLatest :
Vancouver Canucks trade Kiefer Sherwood to Division rival
Vancouver Canucks trade Kiefer Sherwood to Division rival
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 19|76 ANSWERS Western Conference team miss on Rasmus Andersson, then lose Kiefer Sherwood in latest trade Should the Dallas Stars pay up for the next available player? | ||
| Yes do it | 37 | 48.7 % |
| Only cheap | 20 | 26.3 % |
| Not needed | 19 | 25 % |
| List of polls | ||