The Vegas Golden Knights acquired forward Tomas Hertl in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on March 8.
Vegas is one of 17 teams to score at least three hat tricks this season. Jonathan Marchessault did it twice (Nov. 2 and Jan. 26), and Mark Stone did it once (Jan. 15).
After what we witnessed over the past few days, you can add general manager Kelly McCrimmon to that list.
Snagging Anthony Mantha from the Washington Capitals helped fill an immediate need on the wing with Stone out for the rest of the regular season.
But McCrimmon wasn’t done.
Just 24 hours later, the Golden Knights won the Noah Hanifin sweepstakes, bolstering a defense that already features Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, Alec Martinez, and others.
But McCrimmon still wasn’t done.
He completed his hat trick on Friday, and it was the buzzer-beating, blockbuster deal the league was waiting for.
⚔️ TOMAS HERTL HAS BEEN KNIGHTED ⚔️ #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/A5T7K9mEDM
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) March 8, 2024
Vegas sent their 2025 first-round pick and forward David Edstrom (their best prospect) to the San Jose Sharks in return for center Tomas Hertl and third-round picks in 2025 and 2027.
San Jose will also retain 17% of Hertl’s $8.167 million cap hit over the next six years. That means Hertl will only cost Vegas $6.75 million per year through 2030.
To pull off a hat trick like that while maintaining the team’s 2024 first-round pick — McCrimmon is playing chess right now, and the rest of the league is playing checkers.
He had to part with six draft picks (including two first-round picks), his best prospect, and Daniil Miromanov, but the return was unreal — and they’re now well-equipped to make another Stanley Cup run.
Welcome to Vegas, Tomas Hertl
Hertl, 30, was drafted by the Sharks with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. He had 218 goals, 266 assists, and 484 points in his 11 seasons with the team, including 15 goals and 19 assists in 48 games this year.
His most productive season came in 2018-19 when he scored a career-high 35 goals and 74 points in 77 games. He added another 10 goals and five assists in 19 playoff games that year.
And he’s no stranger to the Vegas Golden Knights — especially in the playoffs.
This photo of Tomas Hertl by Steve Marcus of the @LasVegasSun from 2021 is fantastic.
I wonder if Mark Stone will pick him up from the airport? pic.twitter.com/fmtu3tjgTF
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) March 8, 2024
Between 2018 and 2019, Hertl played 13 playoff games against the Knights. He had nine goals and four assists (13 points) in those games.
Now, Vegas hopes he brings that same level of production in a Golden Knights jersey.
At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he has the size (and talent) to put Vegas over the edge. With 50 power-play goals and 35 game-winning goals in his career, he consistently comes up big in a variety of situations.
He was a top-line center in San Jose, but he’ll likely drop to the second or third line with Vegas — allowing him to play to his strengths without the added pressure.
That means one of the deepest rosters in the league just got a little deeper.
But they’ll have to wait to see him in action.
Hertl Recovering From Knee Surgery
According to McCrimmon, Hertl underwent surgery to repair cartilage in his knee on Feb. 12. While he won’t be available right away, they do expect him back by the end of the regular season.
They also expect him to play a pivotal role in their quest for another Cup.
The Vegas Golden Knights were clear winners at the trade deadline, but Tomas Hertl might be the biggest winner of all as he goes from the NHL’s worst team to the defending Stanley Cup champions.
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