SAN JOSE — When Tomas Hertl went down with a right-knee injury in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final last June, Sharks coach Pete DeBoer didn’t shy away from acknowledging that it was a devastating blow.
Hertl played a key role in the Sharks run to the final last year after joining the top line at mid-season. He gave Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski a legitimate power forward to work with, someone who could win battles on the forecheck, score goals around the net and create space for their high-end skill.
If the Sharks are going to make waves in the Stanley Cup playoffs again this spring, starting with their first-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, Hertl will need to be even better.