The San Jose Sharks No. 1 center Tomas Hertl will look to return to elite form during the 2023-24 season. Here's how he can do it.
If the San Jose Sharks are going to have success, it has to start with the success of Tomas Hertl.
Last season Hertl had 63 points (22 goals, 41 assists) in 79 games. Although the point total was just one less than he had in 21-22, Hertl scored eight fewer goals. He was also a -36 compared to a -9.
Once the San Jose Sharks traded Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils, Hertl was looked at to drive the offense more.
Meier is a player that can dominate offensive zone entries with the puck, and when Hertl was asked to do that, he wasn't as successful.
At the end of the season, there was some thought that Hertl was out of shape, but during head coach David Quinn's exit interview, he clarified what exactly was going on with Hertl.
"He and I touched on the two areas he absolutely has to get better at," Quinn said back in April. "He knows it. He's gonna work on it. And I think we're gonna see a much more consistent player next year."
During Hertl's exit interview, he touched on how the game is becoming faster and that he is working to improve his speed.
"Everything is faster. You always try to get [in] the best shape you can. If you lose a couple pounds, it's always good," Hertl said. "Because now, it's a lot about skating and [being] fast. So for sure, I'm gonna try, do my best, and get better… Get a little faster."
Hertl added that after he works on his skating, he wants to improve his shot.
There have been multiple videos of Hertl working out during this off-season, and he has clearly dropped a few pounds.
There is also the mental side of playing hockey. Hertl lost his linemate, the team wasn't doing well, and he was very inconsistent.
"There's not a better human being playing in the National Hockey League than Tomas Hertl. Sometimes, that's a problem because he wears everything on his sleeve, and when there's a mistake or he feels like he let someone down, it really weighs on him. It slows him down," Quinn said. "So confidence is part of it with him. When he lets something, he lets a bad play get in the way. He's got a lot of great hockey ahead of him. He was frustrated with his inconsistencies."
When training camp rolls around, seeing what the centerman weighs in will be interesting. The additions of Anthony Duclair and fellow countryman Filip Zadina should also take some of the pressure off Hertl to drive play for the San Jose Sharks.