Grading the Golden Knights Blockbuster Trade for Hertl

It’s easy to forget how special of a player Hertl can be when he is fully engaged on a winning team. He earned that eight-year extension from San Jose, after all, even if it never really fit in their current timeline. The last time he played a full 82-game season in 2021-22, he posted 30 goals and 64 points while laying down 105 hits.

Even with a truly bad Sharks team this season, Hertl flashed glimpses of his superstar talent by posting 15 goals and 34 points in 48 games played. This is in the top three for both categories on the team despite playing in fewer games overall than his teammates.

Golden Knights Win the 2024 Trade Deadline

If you had any doubts about who won the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, the Golden Knights just, emphatically, ran those doubts through a brick wall. After experiencing a down month or two as injuries ravaged their lineup, Vegas simply decided that they would be in on every great player, and do whatever it took to acquire them, even if they weren’t available.

Few people had Hertl as a realistic trade option at the 2024 deadline, as he had six years remaining on his contract making north of $8 million per season. That should have been a full stop on any deal, but the Golden Knights saw a top player on a floundering team, and decided they could find a way to make it work.

Now, does this mean other changes have to come to Vegas this offseason? Yes. But that’s a future problem for a future them. For now, the Golden Knights added an elite offensive weapon that can showcase how much of a star he is with a contending team. Don’t be surprised if Hertl goes on to score 10-plus goals this postseason if they are able to defend their Stanley Cup Championship.

Also, you can’t understate how important acquiring two third-round picks can be. When Vegas needs the shed cap, they can stick those picks onto a player and send them to a bottom-feeder. Yes, it’s a brutal move, but the Golden Knights are in the business of winning championships, not doing right by every player.

Grade: A+

Sharks Make Perplexing Deadline Decision

One of the reasons why people were shocked by this trade was the fact that no one was looking for it. Yes, the Sharks are a bad team who are deep in a rebuild, but they also need some good players to take the ice each night if only to meet the salary floor. Hertl felt unmoveable with that contract, and for his part, he was playing as well as one can hope in San Jose.

However, that may be why the Sharks moved him now. Hertl still had value as a fringe star in the NHL. In a year or two, he simply may not be thought of the same way if his statistics get dragged down by a sometimes sub-NHL roster around him. Plus, his long-term contract was signed by the previous general manager, so it’s possible that he simply wasn’t one of general manager Mike Grier’s guys.

I still find it hard to believe that San Jose sent two third-round picks back to make this deal happen. That makes me think they were desperate to get out of Hertl’s contract, which might be true. Perhaps they were worried it would be a weight on the franchise, as he was playing well enough to win the team a few games and could cost them in four to five years when they were looking to sign their new, young stars.

So, while it may feel premature and a little bit odd, I can at least understand the idea behind selling Hertl now instead of waiting for a future that may never come. Although, even if I understand it, I don’t think I like this strategy. The Sharks gave up draft capital, a player, and a retention slot for seven seasons for a first-round pick and a top prospect. That just feels like too much given the situation they were in. Time will tell if it was or not.

Grade: D+