The defending Stanley Cup champions, the Vegas Golden Knights, made a significant move at the NHL’s trade deadline Friday, securing Tomas Hertl from the San Jose Sharks.
Vegas, who had lost four consecutive games and struggled in recent matches, bolstered their roster with Hertl after previously acquiring Noah Hanifin from Calgary and Anthony Mantha from Washington earlier in the week.
Hertl, a proven five-time 20-goal scorer, is currently recovering from left knee surgery, but general manager Kelly McCrimmon expressed confidence in his return before the playoffs.
“Size, power, net-front presence, he’s elite in those areas,” McCrimmon stated, emphasizing Hertl’s qualities. “Tomas, if you play as good with us as you did against us, we’ll all be happy.”
In exchange for Hertl, Vegas received additional assets, including third-round draft picks in 2025 and 2027. San Jose acquired top prospect David Edstrom, a 2025 first-round pick, and will retain 17% of Hertl’s salary.
The Golden Knights’ move was among the highlights of a busy trade deadline, with 23 trades involving 33 players and 22 draft picks completed on Friday.
Elsewhere, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers were also active. Carolina added Evgeny Kuznetsov from Washington, aiming to bolster their offensive firepower, while Florida acquired Kyle Okposo from Buffalo to enhance depth and leadership.
Other notable trades included the Boston Bruins acquiring Patrick Maroon from Minnesota and the New York Rangers adding Chad Ruhwedel from the Pittsburgh Penguins for blue-line depth.
