Tomas Hertl will make his debut for the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night when the Golden Knights hit the road to play the Vancouver Canucks.
Hertl has been out with an injury since Jan. 27 recovering from knee surgery to clean out loose cartilage in his left knee.
Projected Lineups for the Golden Knights vs Canucks – 4/8/24
Hertl has played all 712 games of his career as a member of the San Jose Sharks, who drafted him 17th overall in 2012. Despite his injury, the Golden Knights acquired the 30-year-old forward, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick on March 8 in exchange for prospect David Edstrom and a 2025 first-round pick.
During the 2023-24 season, Hertl has 15 goals, 19 assists and 34 points in 48 games. This level of production is pretty solid given that he was on a Sharks team that was near the bottom of the NHL in scoring this season. Their 2.21 goals per game is 31st – only ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Hertl’s support comes when the defending Stanley Cup champions look to lock down a tip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and defend their title. They currently have control of the second wild card with 92 and are ahead of the St. Louis Blues by five points.
Puck drop for the Golden Knights-Canucks game is set for 7 p.m.