Kiefer Sherwood spent several nights last spring chasing Quinn Hughes around the ice and generally pestering the Vancouver Canucks.

Now the former Nashville Predators winger is wearing a Canucks jersey.

After signing with Vancouver in free agency, Sherwood is at training camp in Penticton, B.C., lining up against the players he frustrated in the first round of the playoffs last season.

His former foes have welcomed him welcomed with open arms.

sa国际传媒淚 try to be hard to play against and try to hate the other team and play with that hate and that fire. But at the end of the day, itsa国际传媒檚 a business and itsa国际传媒檚 a game of respect,sa国际传媒� Sherwood said. sa国际传媒淵ousa国际传媒檙e not going after guys if you donsa国际传媒檛 respect them, right? So now that wesa国际传媒檙e teammates, itsa国际传媒檚 just respect.sa国际传媒�

The 29-year-old Sherwoodsa国际传媒檚 path to Vancouver wasnsa国际传媒檛 linear.

A six-foot, 194-pound forward from Columbus, Ohio, he went undrafted before signing with the Anaheim Ducks as a free agent in March 2018, and played 50 games for the team during the 2018-19 campaign.

But Sherwood struggled to stick in the NHL, bouncing back and forth between the minors during stints with Anaheim, Nashville and the Colorado Avalanche.

Eventually, he realized that to cement his spot, he needed to find what made him special sa国际传媒� and he landed on speed.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 definitely something that I had to learn and kind of ingrain in myself and train. I think the saying is adapt or die,sa国际传媒� Sherwood said. sa国际传媒淎t the end of the day, you can light up the minors all you want, but you want to be here in this league.sa国际传媒�

To hone his speed, Sherwood added more dynamic movement to his training regime, looking to create a new level of explosiveness in his skating.

That explosiveness is the key to winning puck battles, he said.

sa国际传媒淚 want to hunt. I want to get in on the forecheck, I want to create time and space for my linemates,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淎nd ultimately, itsa国际传媒檚 a possession game too. So I want the puck on our tape and to get it to guys that can make plays. We value the puck, we value possession, we value plays. And if wesa国际传媒檙e dumping it in or forechecking, I want to get it back.sa国际传媒�

When he cansa国际传媒檛 get the puck back, Sherwood wants to wear down the other team.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 kind of the game within the game,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淎nd itsa国际传媒檚 that fire that Isa国际传媒檓 really focused on bringing every night.sa国际传媒�

Last season marked a career-best campaign for Sherwood, who put up 10 goals and 17 assists in 68 regular-season appearances for Nashville.

He also appeared in all six of the Predators post-season games and contributed a goal before the team was eliminated by the Canucks.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e had to look inward a little bit and try to figure out what itsa国际传媒檚 going to take, and dig deep,sa国际传媒� Sherwood said of his career. sa国际传媒淎nd then from there, just keep refining and growing the identity that I need to play with night in and night out.sa国际传媒�

His speed and tenacity hasnsa国际传媒檛 gone unnoticed at his first Canucks training camp.

sa国际传媒淓ven the forecheck drills, always hesa国际传媒檚 moving his feet. His effortsa国际传媒檚 high,sa国际传媒� said head coach Rick Tocchet.

sa国际传媒淚 thought some of the one-on-one drills, he made some nice moves with the puck. Thatsa国际传媒檚 the stuff I want to see. But hesa国际传媒檚 high-energy, big-motor guy. Guys like that, theysa国际传媒檙e all over the forecheck.sa国际传媒�

Playing against Sherwood in last springsa国际传媒檚 playoffs, Canucks captain Hughes learned that Sherwoodsa国际传媒檚 playing style means opponents need to always be aware of when the wingersa国际传媒檚 on the ice.

sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 a really good player.sa国际传媒� Hughes said. sa国际传媒淚 think hesa国际传媒檚 got more game than people give him credit for. Isa国际传媒檓 not the coach, but I think he can play anywhere in the lineup. And I think hesa国际传媒檚 just a great addition.sa国际传媒�

Tocchet also believes Sherwood could have more offensive upside to his game, noting that the Canucks coaching staff has identified some places they want the new addition to work on his game.

sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 sometimes when he has (the puck), he can slow it down a bit to make a play,sa国际传媒� the coach said. sa国际传媒淏ut sa国际传媒� Isa国际传媒檇 rather him have the motor going, and wesa国际传媒檒l worry about the other stuff. And hesa国际传媒檚 a guy you can bounce around on different lines too. So itsa国际传媒檚 a luxury.sa国际传媒�