Tomas Hertl Out For Rest Of Stanley Cup Finals Per Report

Per a report, Tomas Hertl will miss the rest of the postseason because of that lower-body injury which has kept him out of the lineup for the past two games.

Just prior to puck drop of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, some crushing news broke regarding Tomas Hertl of the San Jose Sharks.

According to a report from Czech reporter Roman Jedlicka of Nova Sport, the 22-year-old forward will miss the rest of these Cup Finals with a knee injury.

While nothing has been confirmed by San Jose, this is obviously tough news for team teal.

Hertl was one of the best skaters for the Sharks in the Stanley Cup as he possessed the size and speed to deal with the Penguins quickness.

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Hertl scored the first-ever Stanley Cup finals goal in franchise history for San Jose early in the second period of Game 1 and was unlucky to add to his total in Game 2. While only credited with two shots on goal, he would ring one off the post on three different occasions before being injured late in the overtime loss.

In 20 playoff games this year, Hertl had six goals and five assists with a plus-eight rating as he was a big reason why the Sharks are in the position they are today.

He was a force on the top line for San Jose alongside Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski where he provided a presence down low after developing a great amount of chemistry with the two Joes.

In his place, Melker Karlsson has replaced Hertl on the top line while Dainius Zubrus checked back into the lineup for Games 3 and 4 at SAP Center.

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In the absence of Hertl, the Sharks were able to get back into the series behind Joonas Donskoi’s overtime winner in Game 3 as San Jose trails Pittsburgh by a 2-1 deficit thus far.

Obviously, the task for team teal became that much more difficult with Hertl out for the rest of the year. The rest of the team has to step up in his absence, and even more will be expected out of the best players from the Sharks who will have to pick up the offensive void that Hertl leaves in the lineup.