In this edition of San Jose Sharks News & Rumors, Tomas Hertl and the Sharks are officially talking about a contract extension. In other news, Mario Ferraro is expected to miss six to eight weeks after taking a hit from Boston Bruins forward Taylor Hall in a game this past Saturday. Meanwhile, head coach Bob Boughner spoke recently about just how important James Reimer has been for the team this season, though unfortunately, the veteran netminder went down with an injury shortly after those comments.
Hertl Says Extension Talks Have Been Positive
Much has been made all season long regarding the future of Hertl, and that will continue until he is either traded or given a contract extension. The 28-year-old is in the final year of a four-year, $22.5 million contract. He will likely command a maximum term deal, which would be seven years on the open market or eight if he does indeed re-sign with the Sharks, and will likely earn a yearly salary of around $7 million.
From the sounds of things, the Sharks want to keep Hertl around, but he is undecided on what it is he wants to do. The good news for Sharks fans is that the two sides have begun extension talks, something Hertl admitted when speaking with the media recently.
“I don’t really want to get too deep because I want to keep focusing [on hockey],” Hertl told reporters. “But there was some talks lately. So we will see.”
He didn’t want to elaborate much on the talks but did describe them as positive. The nine-year NHL veteran is having another productive season in 2021-22 with 22 goals and 42 points through 53 games. He trails only Timo Meier for both goals and points on the entire Sharks roster.
Ferraro Out Long-Term
Some tough news for the Sharks this past weekend, as it was announced that Ferraro was expected to miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in his lower left fibula. The injury came as a result of an awkward hit from Hall, who was given a two-minute minor for interference.
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Though Ferraro is extremely underrated around the league, the Sharks organization and its fans know just how valuable he is. The 23-year-old has been a rock on the back end in San Jose this season, averaging well over 22 minutes in ice time per game. His loss will create yet another hole on the blueline, as the team is also without Erik Karlsson due to a torn forearm muscle.
Boughner Praises Effort of Reimer
After a very solid start to the season, the Sharks have really struggled as of late, and as a result, now sit seventh in the Pacific Division. Due to their struggles, Boughner has voiced his frustration on numerous occasions, most recently explaining what message he relayed to his group in regards to the work of his goaltender Reimer.
“This guy here has played [20 of 23],” Boughner said. “He’s played the majority of January and all of February for you guys. He’s played hard. He’s never complained. He’s rose to the challenge every time. It’s time to play for him.”
It has indeed been a busy season for Reimer, particularly as of late due to a lower-body injury to Adin Hill. That heavy workload could have been what resulted in him being forced to leave Tuesday night’s game versus the Vegas Golden Knights with a lower-body injury of his own.
As of right now, nothing has been said about the potential severity of the issue for Reimer, though being without him for an extended period of time would be a huge blow for this club. In 33 games this season, he has compiled 2.84 goals-against average along with a .916 save percentage.
Up Next for the Sharks
The Sharks have just two games remaining this week, which will come on a back-to-back set over the weekend. First up will be a home game against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night, while Sunday’s game will take place in Anaheim against the Ducks.