Knights’ newest center looks to bring smiles to locker room

It takes a lot for Tomas Hertl not to smile.

The Golden Knights center is always in a good mood. His laugh is infectious. He chats about the Premier League or how his fantasy football lineup is stacking up.

But Hertl is also in the business of winning hockey games. That didn’t happen often last season with the San Jose Sharks.

The Sharks started 0-10-1 and gave up 10 goals in back-to-back games to close that winless streak.

“That’s a tough time to laugh,” Hertl said.

So far this season, Hertl has reason to be in a good mood.

It’s a new era for the 30-year-old center. Hertl is set to begin his first full campaign with the Knights after they acquired him in a stunning deal before the trade deadline March 8.

The move happened while Hertl was recovering from a left knee surgery he had Feb. 12. He didn’t make his Knights debut until April 8, when there were just six games left in the regular season.

Hertl’s first postseason appearance since 2019 also wasn’t the smoothest. He moved up and down the lineup and had just one goal in the Knights’ seven-game loss to the Dallas Stars in the first round.

Hertl said he was disappointed in himself despite just having 13 games to adjust to a new team. But he had a summer to heal up, and he’s now ready to do whatever he can to help the Knights make another deep playoff run.

“I want to be a good player,” Hertl said. “This is my 12th year and wherever I play, I want to help them.”

Interesting comparison

Hertl’s circumstances are similar to a previous center general manager Kelly McCrimmon traded for.

Jack Eichel needed artificial disk replacement surgery when the Knights acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres in November 2021. Eichel returned in February, but had just 25 points in 34 points.

He then got a full offseason to adapt to his surroundings and learn coach Bruce Cassidy’s system. Eichel went on to score 92 points in 89 games between the regular season and playoffs and led the Knights to a Stanley Cup.

He can see the similarities between his situation and Hertl’s. Eichel spent six seasons in Buffalo and was the Sabres captain. Hertl was a fixture in San Jose for 11 years and needed to move his wife, Aneta, and two boys, Tobias and Theo.

“Hertz is a phenomenal human and such a hard worker,” Eichel said. “I think in his position when he got traded, not only is he moving to a new situation that he’s never been in before, but he’s also rehabbing an injury and trying to get comfortable here, learn a new system and find his game all at the same time.”

Eichel became the Knights’ new No. 1 center as soon as he arrived. Hertl is still figuring out where he fits best, though coach Bruce Cassidy said he wants to keep Hertl in the middle.

“I imagine knowing him, he had a great offseason and he’s probably feeling better now,” Eichel said. “I imagine he’ll have a great season and if you ask him, I’m sure he has a lot to prove and a lot to prove to himself, too.”

‘Area of strength’

The rich got richer when the Knights added Hertl. They were one of the NHL’s deepest teams up the middle before the trade. They will remain so even with center Chandler Stephenson leaving to sign a seven-year deal with Seattle.

Hertl, who joins Eichel, William Karlsson, Nicolas Roy and Brett Howden as the Knights’ options at center, looked comfortable in his first training camp in Las Vegas. He’s strong on the puck and is a good playmaker from the opposing goal line.

Cassidy said the offseason may have benefited Hertl more than anyone else on the Knights just because he got a chance to get healthy.

“He’s going to be so much farther ahead of last year simply because of the situation he was put in when he got here,” Cassidy said.

Hertl finished with 38 points in 54 games last season. He’s hit the 60-point mark three times in his career, even when the Sharks were one of the NHL’s worst teams.

That makes the Knights optimistic he can have a productive first full season with them. Which should lead to a lot more smiles this time around.

“I feel like I’m one of the guys now. I don’t feel new,” Hertl said. “I wasn’t playing right away, but I’m part of the team, having fun with the guys. (I’m) looking forward to Oct. 9 for the season to start again.”

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.