Observations:

September 2015 – Hertl has come into camp ready to prove that last season's sophomore slump is well behind him. He was fantastic in his first pre season game against Vancouver as he scored a goal and added an assist in the win. Most notable in his game was his willingness to get into the dirty areas as he was often found mucking it up in front of the net and digging pucks out of the corners. This is a great sign for a San Jose squad that needs Hertl to take a leap forward and return to their offensive top six. – Cam Robinson

August 2015 – The hype surrounding Hertl heading into the 2014-’15 season was palpable, however the young Czech forward struggled to maintain the level of play that garnered him so much fanfare in 2013-’14. Hertl appeared to lack the explosive speed and strength from the previous season after suffering a season-ending knee injury. However on a positive note, he did manage to play in all 82 games for the Sharks, spending time on each of the four lines. He was given a chance to centre the fourth line but with mixed results. New coach Peter DeBoer will have a decision to make with the 21 year old; does he line up with the ‘Joes” where he found such early success? Does he find a home next to Logan Couture, or will he continue his predecessor’s experiment and keep him as a centre on the bottom two lines? Hertl will most likely see time in all those situations if he doesn’t find traction early on. Fantasy owners will hope to see that dynamic skill set return to his game to justify their ownership in him. He remains a very intriguing fantasy asset and with 100+ NHL games under his belt, he could be due for a nice uptick in production. Cameron Robinson

February 2015 – Hertl has had a disappointing sophomore campaign, even when not measured against overly high expectations. He has played on a line with stars Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski (see here for his line combos), and yet has managed just 11 even-strength points. Chalk it up to a sophomore slump, as he has tremendous potential. He just won't reach it as quickly as we thought. – Dobber

June 2014 – Hertl had a great start to the year and was electrifying in action.  Then the knee to knee hit from Dustin Brown knocked him out of the lineup for a few months. He returned just in time for the playoffs but in his first few games he was timid and spent extra time working to regain his speed and confidence.  He had a strong playoff nearing in on point-per-game production (five points in seven games) but the Sharks collapse a 3-0 series lead to the Los Angeles Kings.  Expect him to be one of the top scoring wingers on the Sharks next season.  He may have shown his skill early on, but a full season of playing healthy could make him a household name.  Tim Graveline

October 2013 – Hertl really came out of the gates strong and has done quite well amassing goals playing alongside Joe Thornton and Brent Burns.  This is very much helping him build his case for the Calder trophy.  His four goal night was pretty impressive, but he will not and cannot keep up that kind of pace.  Expect a bit of a slower mid season with him regaining his form later in the season as rookies tend to do.  Tim Graveline

September 2013 – Coach McLellan is not prepared to say that Hertl has a spot on the opening day roster, but this is most likely to give Hertl fuel to make certain that he does make the opening day roster, which is fully expected as he'll most likely center the third line. There is talk that he might shift to the wing to play in a top six role as Martin Havlat is expected to sit out the beginning of the season. Tim Graveline

September 2013 – Tomas Hertl was leading the charge on the powerplay in prospects tourney play for the young Sharks.  So far he has earned one assist, but he's a serious scoring threat and will make the San Jose Sharks roster as the third line center to start the season, with the potential to jump into the top six when needed. Tim Graveline

May 2013 – Tomas Hertl signed a entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks.  He had a solid season in the Czech Republic's best league scoring 30 points in 43 games.  It is possible that this contract now allows him to come over to North America sooner than expected.  So expect him to make a push for a starting spot in the fall as the third line center. Tim Graveline

March 2013 – Hertl has been enjoying a fine season for HC Slavia Praha. He plays such a well-rounded game and should be ready for training camp this coming off-season. He will be an integral piece for the Sharks next season. If anything, his positive development is giving the Sharks the flexibility to start retooling as soon as they see fit. He will most likely replace Handzus as the third-line center and possibly work his way up to a scoring role. Tim Graveline

July, 2012 – Hertl will play next season in the Czech Republic. One more year, and then he plans to come over. – Dobber

June, 2012 – Doug Wilson and Sharks company wasted no time stepping up to the podium to select Czech pivot Tomas Hertl 17th overall at the 2012 NHL Draft. His skating is a work in progress but his offensive skills are certainly a plus. Brendan Ross

March, 2012 – Tomas Hertl is an immensely skilled pivot who currently plays in the Czech Extraliga. Blessed with nifty hands and an accurate shot, Hertl is always a threat to score or set up a teammate when he’s in the offensive zone. In addition being among HC Slavia Prague’s top producers, he notched five points in six games at the 2012 World Junior tournament in Calgary and Edmonton. John Canario

Fantasy Outlook: A-

With a unique ability to create scoring opportunities out of seemingly harmless scenarios, Hertl looks to be well on his way to a productive hockey career.

Footage:
Tomas Hertl's 4-goal game:

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