Hertl excited for chance to chase Cup with Golden Knights

PRAGUE -- Tomas Hertl can’t wait for training camp. The center is healthy and knows what to expect entering his first full season with the Vegas Golden Knights, and he sees a chance to play to his full potential and chase the Stanley Cup.

“I’m really excited,” Hertl said at the NHL European Player Media Tour in his hometown of Prague on Aug. 21. “I have great summer. Ready to go.”

Hertl was recovering from knee surgery when the Golden Knights acquired him from the San Jose Sharks before the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline on March 8.

His injury and outgoing personality helped him adapt to Vegas after 11 seasons in San Jose. He worked and hung out with captain Mark Stone, who was recovering from a lacerated spleen. He had time to find a house. When his old rivals and new teammates chirped him, he embraced it.

“I enjoy that, chirping each other just for fun,” Hertl said. “You can feel the guys are together -- not just players, but the staff, everybody around it. The feeling in the room was really, really nice. … Even when I got traded, I don’t want to sit there all day and just be kind of behind and listen to all the guys. I want to be in the mix.”

It was a big change. While the Sharks were about to finish last in the NHL, the Golden Knights were the defending Stanley Cup champions and about to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons.

“It was just so much fun,” Hertl said. “They won [the Cup in 2023]. They winning. When you’re losing last couple years, you lose six, seven in a row, you know the feeling is not like when you’re winning.”

It wasn’t an easy, immediate adjustment on the ice, though.

Hertl returned late in the regular season, coming off his injury and debuting with a new team at the hardest time of the year. He had four points (two goals, two assists) in six regular-season games and one goal in seven playoff games as the Golden Knights lost to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference First Round.

Vegas tried to find the right fit on the fly. Hertl played with multiple wings, including Stone, who returned from his injury for the start of the playoffs and wasn’t at full speed.

Hertl said he would be lying if he said it wasn’t difficult.

“Everything was new,” he said. “System was new. Players was new. You’re in the one spot for a long time, so [if there is a change on your team], you just have to know one player what he can do. Now [you have to know] really what 19 players doing, plus new system, new building.”

That won’t be the case this season.

“I got my house there,” Hertl said. “I know players. I know coach. I know organization, people around it, now more. Now it’s just more during the camp get more chemistry … and show them what I can do the best.”

General manager Kelly McCrimmon said there will be some parallels to center Jack Eichel. The Golden Knights acquired Eichel from the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 4, 2021, while he had a neck issue. He had surgery Nov. 12, 2021, and came back to post 25 points (14 goals, 11 assists) in 34 regular-season games. Vegas missed the playoffs.

The following season, Eichel had 66 points (27 goals, 39 assists) in 67 regular-season games and 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 22 playoff games. Vegas won the Cup.

“I think Jack would tell you he felt a lot more settled in going into Year Two than he did when he was acquired from Buffalo, came back off the neck surgery, everything else that went with that,” McCrimmon said. “Tomas would be in a situation where he’s going to be more settled in for sure.”

Like Eichel has, Hertl will benefit from playing for a better team with more support.

“It will be nice to be part of it, OK, now getting on winning streaks and how we get to the playoffs,” Hertl said. “There is no thinking about, like, ‘Will we end up fifth from the bottom?’ We’re getting into the playoffs. That’s the goal first, and you just getting ready for that, and for me, it’s super exciting. I just can’t wait.

“Same time, this team has a lot of good players, so I think it’s really nice. It’s not, like, just about one player or even two, because when it’s about two, it gets tough. But when you get more players to spread it out and you do it together, that’s the best way to do it.”

There is still some uncertainty. Vegas has competition on the wing, and it remains to be seen with whom Hertl will play. But the 30-year-old veteran wants to take it upon himself to smooth the transition.

“I want to be that player who, whoever I get, I can help them and make it the best,” Hertl said. “I don’t want to wait for somebody, like, just save me. I want to help them, young guy, help them out, or if it’s somebody really good like Mark Stone, I want to just bring from me and do the best we can do.”

In the end, it’s all about the Cup.

“They want to be pushing the limits, get guys,” Hertl said. “It’s for sure getting in the playoff and far as you can. [In 2023], they won it, and they want to do it again. That’s why I got there too, because I see there is chance.

“Nobody can guarantee, but you want to get a chance, fight for it, and I want to fight for it and try win it -- for me first time and for the Knights second time. There will be expectations, always, I feel like really high.”