Injuries sidelined him for much of the 2016-17 season and may have contributed to a lower scoring rate than seasons prior. But when he was healthy, he took on more ice time than previous seasons and made the move to center.
The message seems to be clear: Hertl is the direction the Sharks’ future is moving toward.
He’s going to be an important piece going forward and shouldering more responsibility this season might be getting his feet wet for bigger moves down the line.
And with Hertl’s playoff performance the past two seasons, why not?