Seravalli Rangers Are 'Team to Watch' for Tomas Hertl; Re-Signs with Sharks

[Phil]

Quote

1. Tomas Hertl
Center, San Jose Sharks
Age: 28
Contract: Pending UFA, $5.625 million AAV
Last Rank: 12th
Scoop: Hertl has emerged as the likely most in-demand player as we hurdle toward the deadline. Hertl’s name has already been a big topic of conversation. Hertl is unsigned, having a fantastic season – he’s on pace for a career-high 39 goals and leads San Jose with 16 strikes – and would provide a significant return for the Sharks’ future. The Sharks have fallen out of the race over the last month and their playoff chances are looking slim (16 percent). One team to keep an eye on in the Hertl sweepstakes: the New York Rangers.

 

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/seravalli-20-trade-targets-in-play-as-market-heats-up/

 

On his podcast, he and his host played a game at the end and were asked to determine where Hertl will land at the deadline, and Seravalli's response was:

 

"I am gonna go with the New York Rangers. They've been talking about him already. They've got cap space. They've got assets. Why not the Rangers?"

[-ERIK-]

Don't watch him enough to say yes or no but isn't he kind of a soft player?

I'd almost rather try for Giroux

[Keirik]

Whoever they go and get, I really wish they would do it earlier and not wait for the deadline. A renal for 3-4 months is better than one for 2 

[Phil]

1 minute ago, Keirik said:

Whoever they go and get, I really wish they would do it earlier and not wait for the deadline. A renal for 3-4 months is better than one for 2 

 

I tend to agree, also because cap space isn't an issue. There's no real reason for them to wait out the deadline. They project to have around $9 million if they do, but even right now, today, they have just over $5 million.

[phillyb]

2 minutes ago, Keirik said:

Whoever they go and get, I really wish they would do it earlier and not wait for the deadline. A renal for 3-4 months is better than one for 2 

 

Agreed. I always thought the trade deadline was too late. 

[Keirik]

Just now, Phil said:

 

I tend to agree, also because cap space isn't an issue. There's no real reason for them to wait out the deadline. They project to have around $9 million if they do, but even right now, today, they have just over $5 million.

Exactly. And waiting until the deadline creates the chance of a bidding war which I want no part of. 

[Phil]

Just now, Keirik said:

Exactly. And waiting until the deadline creates the chance of a bidding war which I want no part of. 

 

The only thing "stopping" this, IMO, is the desire of the Sharks to waive the flag on the year. They have 37 points in 35 games. They're just three points back of Calgary (40) with a ton of games left to play. Odds are, even if you make a significant offer — say Chytil, the Rangers' 2022 first-round pick, and a good prospect — why are San Jose saying yes now? The only teams that should be entertaining big deals this early are the real lottery clubs.

[Keirik]

2 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

The only thing "stopping" this, IMO, is the desire of the Sharks to waive the flag on the year. They have 37 points in 35 games. They're just three points back of Calgary (40) with a ton of games left to play. Odds are, even if you make a significant offer — say Chytil, the Rangers' 2022 first-round pick, and a good prospect — why are San Jose saying yes now? The only teams that should be entertaining big deals this early are the real lottery clubs.

If you say Chytil, Jones, pick they can still sell it to the fans by saying they are bringing in two young talents that are nhl players right now and under contract for next year I guess so they can still be competing while improving their future. 

[Cash or Czech]

It makes sense tbh. Hertl can play center and RW. He's a scorer, and there's a chance he'll do nicely either with Lafreniere/Goodrow on the 3rd or with Strome/Panarin on the 2nd. It's a shame we don't have cap space beyond this season because if it clicks, it'll suck to try and replace that afterwards. But if it propels us further into the playoffs for some assets we were giving up on anyway? Get the kids some playoff experience.

[josh]

33 minutes ago, br-avery said:

Don't watch him enough to say yes or no but isn't he kind of a soft player?

I'd almost rather try for Giroux

 

Hertl is another Strome/Zibanejad. Good players, not tough or tough to play against. That 2RW and 3C really need to have some of that, IMO.

[josh]

1 minute ago, Cash or Czech said:

It makes sense tbh. Hertl can play center and RW. He's a scorer, and there's a chance he'll do nicely either with Lafreniere/Goodrow on the 3rd or with Strome/Panarin on the 2nd. It's a shame we don't have cap space beyond this season because if it clicks, it'll suck to try and replace that afterwards. But if it propels us further into the playoffs for some assets we were giving up on anyway? Get the kids some playoff experience.

 

maybe that ONE season.

 

[Phil]

6 minutes ago, Keirik said:

If you say Chytil, Jones, pick they can still sell it to the fans by saying they are bringing in two young talents that are nhl players right now and under contract for next year I guess so they can still be competing while improving their future. 

 

You can try, sure, but it's laughable logic. He's on pace for 40 goals.

[Phil]

Just now, josh said:

 

maybe that ONE season.

 

 

Yeah, this one. He's pacing 40 goals.

[josh]

2 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

Yeah, this one. He's pacing 40 goals.

 

he'll get hurt and finish the season with 19.

[Cash or Czech]

2 minutes ago, josh said:

 

he'll get hurt and finish the season with 19.

 

I rather he get hurt than disappear like Kreider. Not sure which one's worse. At least he wouldn't be taking a roster spot

Edited January 7, 2022 by Cash or Czech

[josh]

Hurtl has decent faceoff numbers. He's above 51% and taken the most draws on his team.

Also killing penalties, but seems to be on the third pair, based on ice time.

[Keirik]

14 minutes ago, Phil said:

 

You can try, sure, but it's laughable logic. He's on pace for 40 goals.

Just write a letter to the fans first. Then you can make an incredibly lopsided trade with impunity. 

[jsm7302]

13 minutes ago, Keirik said:

Just write a letter to the fans first. Then you can make an incredibly lopsided trade with impunity. 

I wonder if the team still has the bag of pucks they got for McDonagh and Miller?!

[Valriera]

Fits the reasonable 3C mold, although he's going to be more expensive next year if we want to keep him.  

[Sharpshooter]

14 minutes ago, jsm7302 said:

I wonder if the team still has the bag of pucks they got for McDonagh and Miller?!

Too soon.

[Phil]

2 minutes ago, Valriera said:

Fits the reasonable 3C mold, although he's going to be more expensive next year if we want to keep him.  

 

He's a rental. They can't afford him if they're keeping Strome. It's one or the other. That said, having Hertl on your roster can maybe give you a little bit of leverage in contract negotiations with Strome in that you possibly have a fallback plan if his ask is absurd.

[LindG1000]

1 hour ago, Phil said:

 

The only thing "stopping" this, IMO, is the desire of the Sharks to waive the flag on the year. They have 37 points in 35 games. They're just three points back of Calgary (40) with a ton of games left to play. Odds are, even if you make a significant offer — say Chytil, the Rangers' 2022 first-round pick, and a good prospect — why are San Jose saying yes now? The only teams that should be entertaining big deals this early are the real lottery clubs.

This could happen way, way faster than you think.

 

The Sharks are probably three weeks away from being as dead in the water as the Blackhawks or Kraken. They're already at under 10% to even make the playoffs, their schedule this month is a nightmare (aside from a game or two), Edmonton is going to regress to some level of the mean, Calgary should start to pull away, and so on. They're pretty much empty on prospects, they're absolutely anchored by either bad or old money...this ship ain't gonna self-correct fast.

 

Writing is on the wall. It behooves the Sharks to start a bidding war; may as well get it started soon.

[The Dude]

1 hour ago, Keirik said:

Whoever they go and get, I really wish they would do it earlier and not wait for the deadline. A renal for 3-4 months is better than one for 2 

Agreed. Plus I think the cost would be cheaper without typical bidding war that comes with deadline deals. 

[Pete]

Not on board with this.

 

The cost to acquire this "40G scorer" will be massive, and we're acquiring a #1C to play #3C so you aren't getting 40G production...the only upside is he's great at EV, only 3 PPG.

 

I just don't think there's value there, for us. Go after a 3C and pay a 3C price.

[Sod16]

4 hours ago, Keirik said:

Just write a letter to the fans first. Then you can make an incredibly lopsided trade with impunity. 

Yup.  You then have the excuse that your bargaining position was undermined.