2024-03-08 19:58:29
The Vegas Golden Knights made another significant acquisition shortly before the trade deadline Friday, landing San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl.
The “Golden Knights” gave up a 2025 first-round pick, as well as offensive prospect David Edstrom. The latter was the first round selection (32e in total) from Vegas to the last National League amateur auction.
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The Vegas team also gets two third-round picks (2025 and 2027). The Sharks retain 17% of Hertl’s salary, who receives a little more than $8 million annually, until the conclusion of the 2029-2030 season.
“My comment to Hertl was: ‘Tomas, if you play as well once morest us as with us, I will be happy.’ He is a player that we have watched a lot. We know him well since he plays in the same section, which was part of a great rivalry. He’s going to adapt really well for us, I think,” explained general manager Kelly McCrimmon at a press conference, who managed to convince the player to drop his full no-trade clause.
Thus, the Knights will be well equipped to defend their Stanley Cup title won in the spring of 2023. In recent days, they have acquired forward Anthony Mantha and defenseman Noah Hanifin, not to mention that they will be able to bet on the return of veteran Mark Stone, presumably at the start of the series.
Hertl has totaled 34 points, including 15 goals, in 48 games this season. Author of two campaigns with at least 30 career goals, he was bothered by problems with his left knee during the regular calendar: the veteran was also operated on in February and remains inactive.
“We approached San Jose before he got hurt. It’s been that long. We needed to know how [il était blessé]. As soon as we had more information, we re-engaged in talks,” McCrimmon said.
Morose
If this transaction made the Knights happy, it was less well received among the Sharks players. According to what head coach David Quinn told NBC, the mood in the locker room was “gloomy” at practice.
Highly appreciated by his teammates, Hertl was playing an 11th season with the team. However, he wanted to win and that’s why GM Mike Grier made this trade.
“Tomas told himself this year that he wanted a chance to lift the Stanley Cup. Obviously, we are still in a reconstruction phase. [Ça aurait pris] years,” Grier admitted.
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