Tomas Hertl breaking out
- Thread starter Wooren
- Start date
Elite is a big word. I thin he'll be good for at least 50-55 points but can he reach 70-75 points I don't know.
Looks like it but the bigger story in San Jose is Timo Meier.
Meier has 9 goals and 14 points in 12 games.
Kid's a beast.
Meier has 9 goals and 14 points in 12 games.
Kid's a beast.
CaptainShark
Registered User
The only thing Hertl lacks at this point to be truely elite is finish... he is creating tons of chances by using his body to shield the puck and overpower defenders, he is very good in Gretzky’s office as well and he has shown the occasional spectacular dangle... but he still wastes too many glorious chances by fumbling the puck, shooting off target or into the goalie chest. Timo has had the hot hand, but overall Hertl has been slightly better IMO. It’s a result of him finally being healthy over a long stretch.
BaileyMacTavish
Hockey lovin' wolf
I think Hertl is finishing more often this season so far, but it seems like he's the playmaker for the 48-39-28 line.
jetsforever
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greasysnapper
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TomasHertlsRooster
Don’t say eye test when you mean points
Those who watch the Sharks know that Hertl is still the better player.
BaileyMacTavish
Hockey lovin' wolf
To answer your question, i think he picked up where he left off last playoffs. He's a bull that is strong along the boards and can force his way to the net because of his big body and it's fun to watch for sure.
Kevs Security
inmateMack/CanesMack/LeafMack/elMacko
Lol Hertl is the ultimate second line guy at best. Shame on DeBoer tho for giving him 3rd line minutes all last year.
spintheblackcircle
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spintheblackcircle
incoming!!!
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He was last year. This year, Timo has been. His traditional stats are better despite playing a few minutes a night less. His advanced stats are better. He's been better this year. Pretty simple.
The question is can he do this for 82 games.
Last edited:
izzy
go
TomasHertlsRooster
Don’t say eye test when you mean points
When you post an opinion that absolutely shouldn’t be taken seriously, it’s always good to follow it up with proof that you have paid no attention to the subject that you’re posting your opinion about.
Hertl pretty much played no 3rd line minutes last year; he played a large percentage of his minutes with Logan Couture.
Elite is a big word. I thin he'll be good for at least 50-55 points but can he reach 70-75 points I don't know.
Elite is thrown around a lot.
It’s almost As bad as generational and that’s because it’s used more.
Has Kane slowed down? I’m not being snarky I’m serious because I know he started red hot and haven’t watched sharks in awhile.
I think donskoi hertl and Meier are the three best wingers with Kane fourth but I could be wrong.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
I’m honestly tired of this “never fully recovered from the Dustin Brown hit” narrative. It’s just not true. He had a red hot start to his career because he was playing on a line with Joe Thornton and Brent Burns, and Biron was a terrible goaltender. Just because he didn’t keep up his goalscoring pace from that small segment of games doesn’t mean he didn’t improve. He’s gotten better every single year he’s played in the NHL. Injuries have negatively impacted his development, but only in the sense that missing games hinders any young player’s growth. He was never a speedster, and he’s considerably faster now than he ever was pre-Brown. His balance on his skates is incredible. There’s nothing lingering that’s wrong with his knee. He’s the most effectively strong player in the league as far as I’m concerned.
Hertl has never put up the huge point totals that accurately represent his on-ice impact because he and his linemates couldn’t finish. He’s always driven possession at an elite level even in hard matchups, and he’s phenomenal defensively both at even strength and on the PK, where he’s always an offensive threat as well. This year, Hertl is getting his points because he and his linemates are finishing plays. That’s really all there is to it. Meier and Burns are playing phenomenally (that trio is really carrying the Sharks so far) and Couture is shooting the lights out. Neither Meier nor Couture will sustain their current shooting percentages, so Hertl’s PPG pace will likely fall a bit, but I guarantee it won’t be because Hertl isn’t being the same force he always is.
Nobody outside of SJ (and Anaheim and Vegas) really paid any attention to it, but he was stupid good last postseason. Scored at a PPG and dominated the ice. He’s not consistently at that level, but he’s perfectly capable of playing at a #1C level for stretches at a time.
Hertl has never put up the huge point totals that accurately represent his on-ice impact because he and his linemates couldn’t finish. He’s always driven possession at an elite level even in hard matchups, and he’s phenomenal defensively both at even strength and on the PK, where he’s always an offensive threat as well. This year, Hertl is getting his points because he and his linemates are finishing plays. That’s really all there is to it. Meier and Burns are playing phenomenally (that trio is really carrying the Sharks so far) and Couture is shooting the lights out. Neither Meier nor Couture will sustain their current shooting percentages, so Hertl’s PPG pace will likely fall a bit, but I guarantee it won’t be because Hertl isn’t being the same force he always is.
Nobody outside of SJ (and Anaheim and Vegas) really paid any attention to it, but he was stupid good last postseason. Scored at a PPG and dominated the ice. He’s not consistently at that level, but he’s perfectly capable of playing at a #1C level for stretches at a time.
Big Cactus
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Quid Pro Clowe
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He dominated the Blues and the first 2 games of the Stanley cup in 2016 before Hornqvist hurt him.
Alwalys
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Quid Pro Clowe
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Little Psycho
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Some of that came from SJ fans. When Hertl was not producing you would see comments like "f***ing Brown destroyed his career, he'll never be the same"
Quid Pro Clowe
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TomasHertlsRooster
Don’t say eye test when you mean points
Yes he has, but he is still the best player on his line of Kane-Pavelski-LaBanc.
I never disagreed with your general assessment of Kane as an inconsistent player and I was one of the most critical of the contract he signed. The part that I agreed with was your assessment that he gets carried by elite centers, since the argument was always made to pump Eichel’s tires; he has never played with an elite center in his time with San Jose.
At this point, I think Hertl is the center on that line. And I think that Couture and Meier are the Sharks two best wingers for sure. If you call Hertl the winger and Couture the center, it’s definitely Hertl/Meier. Beyond those two, it’s debatable between Pavelski, Kane, and Donskoi, and just based on their career production, I would rank them in that order.
