SAN JOSE -- There's no guarantee that Tomas Hertl will have a breakout series on offense when the Sharks begin the second round of the NHL playoffs on Friday against the Nashville Predators. It's fair to say, though, that he won't be shoved around.
Starting just the third playoff series in his relatively brief professional career, Hertl, 22, has fully embraced his role as a power forward on the Sharks' top line. He's always possessed great hands and natural offensive instincts, but in his third year in the NHL, the Czech Republic native has learned to use his 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame more to his advantage.