The Vegas Golden Knights were active once again at the trade deadline this year, looking towards possible back-to-back Stanley Cups.
The team made several moves leading up to the deadline, adding both Noah Hanifin and Anthony Mantha. However, the most surprising addition came on deadline day itself, when Vegas acquired Tomas Hertl from the San Jose Sharks.
Hertl is 30 years old and had spent his entire career with the Sharks. This season, he posted 15 goals and 34 points in 48 games with San Jose and was undoubtedly the team's top forward. However, with six more years remaining on his contract, he wasn't really viewed as a player likely to be moved.
Regardless, while Hertl has yet to play a game with Vegas due to injury, he should be a key addition for their playoff run. Below, we look at three reasons why Hertl is a perfect fit with the Golden Knights.
Makes the top-nine more dangerous
For a team coming off a Stanley Cup win, Vegas' offense really hasn't been that much of a standout. Both this year and last, the team has ranked 14th in the NHL in goals per game.
Upon his return from injury, Hertl will immediately improve the look at the top of the forward group. He's been consistency good for about 60-65 points per year, and was part of San Jose's top-six for half a decade. In recent years, he's also still been able to post strong numbers with a lack of talent around him with the Sharks.
Now in Vegas, his high-end blend of puck control and scoring ability could see him reach new heights in his game with better talent around him. If Mark Stone can return for the playoffs, considering Mantha was added as well, Vegas will be able to roll three lines who can all really contribute offensively.
The team will stick with Barbashev-Eichel-Marchessault, but then after that, they'll have options. If Hertl slots into the second-line center role, Chandler Stephenson could end up shifted to the wing. It also means there's a likely scenario that if Stone returns for the postseason, Mantha could move down the lineup to give a more dangerous look to the William Karlsson line.
Looking around at other teams in the West as well, and Vegas will need to keep up offensively. The Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, and Dallas Stars will all have no issues scoring once the playoffs roll around. If Vegas hopes to get out of the West again, adding to their forward group was a crucial step.
Given Hertl has reached the 30-goal mark twice in his career, he should immediately improve the team's offense when he joins the lineup.
Solves future issue
Looking ahead to the offseason, the Golden Knights are likely to lose pieces off their roster. Notably, Chandler Stephenson is due for a new contract, and should earn a substantial raise. The center has emerged as a key contributor to the team's top-six group over the last few years, with a great mix of speed and playmaking ability. Between 2021-22 and 2022-23, Stephenson managed roughly 65 points in each season.
The team has Jack Eichel and William Karlsson down the middle already, but if Stephenson signs elsewhere in free agency, they'd be lacking a second-line center heading into next season. However, Hertl is the clear solution, and a trio of Eichel-Hertl-Karlsson down the middle may be the best one-two-three punch in the NHL.
Vegas could be competitive for the forseeable future, so it's key to plan past the current playoff run. Adding Hertl ensures they're still set up really well going forward, despite likely losing pieces this offseason.
Locked in long-term
What made the Hertl deal somewhat unexpected was that he had a lot of term remaining on his contract. The forward still has six years remaining on his deal after the current season, taking him to 2030. As a result, he'll spend almost the entirety of a contract signed by the Sharks with a different team.
Plus, San Jose retaining salary on the deal for such a length of time is a big win as well. With the Sharks retaining about 17 percent of the forward's salary, Hertl's cap hit for Vegas comes in at just $6.75 million. As is, that's a very favourable price to get Hertl at and his production warrants the more than $8 million cap hit his full salary would entail. So short-term, Vegas should be getting good value from Hertl's contract.
There's always the concern that given Hertl's age, a decline will come before the end of the deal. That could be the case, but the salary cap is expected to see huge increases over the next few years. So by the time Hertl inevitably does see a decline, his cap hit should be less of a concern.
The deal gives Vegas some cost certainty. They can account for the center being part of their roster long-term, and plan accordingly. The team is clearly in win-now mode, and over the next few years, Hertl should be a key piece of the Golden Knights.
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