Tomas Hertl
Tomas Hertl is an enthusiastic young forward with a perpetual grin on his face when he finds himself in the middle of a media scrum. At the same time the Czech forward is a highly competitive force on the ice with silky hands and superb vision to find teammates and open areas of play.
The 25-year-old is entering 7th year (time flies) lacing up his skates for Team Teal. We’ve seen Hertl blossom from a dynamic power forward into a 200 foot center who’s high-end scoring ability makes him a constant threat when he is on the ice.
While Hertl has garnered attention on the ice he has also attracted a lot of attention in around the NHL media-sphere for his highlight reel goals and infectiously positive personality. During interviews Tomas constantly has something profound to say, staying away from hockey cliches by making keen observations that you can only track if you were at ice level.
Now unlike the other contenders on this list, Tomas Hertl doesn’t have a decade’s worth of experience in the league. In spite of this the 17th pick in the 2012 draft has been a pivotal part of the Sharks over the past half decade. To go along with this argument he also embodies the new wave of skaters that San Jose feels can keep them relevant as a franchise for years to come.
In retrospect this entire process is likely all for nothing taking into account the C is all but sewn on the sweater of Logan Couture. Still it’s an encouraging sign when you take stock like this and see not just one but multiple people who have the values and personality it takes to represent the San Jose Sharks franchise in 2019 – 2020 and beyond.