SAN JOSE — Tomas Hertl, the newest member of the Vegas Golden Knights, thanked Sharks fans and the city of San Jose on Friday night after he spent the first 11 years of his NHL career in a teal uniform.
In a letter posted to his account on X, Hertl wrote that San Jose will always hold a special place in his heart after he grew up in the city, going from a baby-faced teenager to one of the players most synonymous with the Sharks franchise.
“When I arrived in San Jose in 2013, I was a 19-year-old boy who didn’t know anyone in America, didn’t speak a word of English, and had no idea where my career would take me,” Hertl wrote. “San Jose didn’t just accept me — it opened its arms wide and treated me like one of its own. This is where I call home. It’s the place I made friends, built my career, married my wife, bought a house, and became a father to my two boys.
“I will always be grateful to the people of San Jose, especially the unbelievable Sharks fans for your support and encouragement over these last 11 years. We had a lot of good times together and truly great runs. The memories will stay with me forever.”
@SanJoseSharks Thank you pic.twitter.com/E7OUh7UxXU
— Tomáš Hertl (@TomasHertl48) March 9, 2024
Hertl, drafted in the first round by the Sharks in 2012, was dealt by the team, along with third-round draft choices in both 2025 and 2027, to the Golden Knights on Friday morning. The deal was completed just before the NHL trade deadline at noon (PST).
In return, the Sharks received a 2025 first-round draft choice and Swedish-born center David Edstrom, 19. The Sharks are also retaining 17%, or $1.3875 million, of Hertl’s contract for each of the next six seasons, ending in 2030.
Hertl leaves the Sharks as one of the team’s most productive all-time players. He ranked seventh in games played (712), fifth in goals (218), seventh in assists (266), and sixth in points (484).
With Hertl, the Sharks reached the playoffs in five of his first six seasons in the NHL, making the Western Conference finals in 2016 and 2019. San Jose advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016 but lost to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
Hertl also thanked Sharks owner Hasso Plattner and former general manager Doug Wilson “for bringing me into the NHL,” and to his, “teammates, my coaches, and the entire Sharks organization for helping me become the player, the professional and the person I am today,
“San Jose will always have a special place in my heart.”
Source: www.mercurynews.com