Ever since Tomas Hertl donned a San Jose Sharks jersey for the first time, he instantly became a fan favorite. Hertl burst on to the scene with his youthful exuberance and flair for the dramatic. After all, Hertl scored four goals in a game against the New York Rangers and had 15 goals in his first 32 games.
However, the knee-on-knee hit delivered by Dustin Brown that many Sharks fans haven’t forgotten knocked Hertl of his trajectory. While he played in all 82 games last season which was a feat in an of itself, Hertl experienced the so-called sophomore slump, registering 13 goals and 31 points.