Golden Knights Forward Visiting His Former Arena For First Time As A Visitor In His Career

Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl will be playing in San Jose as a visitor for the first time in his career.

Hertl was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the first round (17th overall) in the 2012 NHL draft. The Czech-born centre went on to play 11 seasons with the Sharks, skating in 712 games, scoring 218 goals and 484 points.

The 31-year-old was never able to accomplish his goal of winning the Stanley Cup with the Sharks but was close on multiple occasions, losing in the cup final to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and once in the conference finals.

When the Golden Knights acquired Hertl at the deadline last year, he was excited to join the team but couldn’t help but state how proud he was to play for the Sharks.

“It was definitely a special time to be here, not just for me but my family,” said Hertl during his pre-game media availability. “My wife, kids but my family back home because we spent a lot of time here and the organization and the fans were always great to me. I was lucky to start my career here, especially to play some playoff games and so many memories.”

Now established with the Golden Knights, Hertl has played 34 games scoring 10 goals and 24 points, and has become a force on the power play. His game at 5-on-5 has been inconsistent at times but the Golden Knights still seem to be in search of the right linemates for him.

Tonight will be an emotional night for the skilled forward who will receive a lengthy video tribute.

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