'I feel like I'm one of the guys': Hertl finding his fit with Golden Knights

The last time Tomáš Hertl spoke to local media was two days after the Vegas Golden Knights had been eliminated from the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The veteran forward had had a whirlwind of a season. Hertl played his last game with the San Jose Sharks, whom he had been with for the entirety of his 11-year NHL career, in January 2024, before undergoing left knee surgery. He was still injured when he was traded to the Golden Knights in March.

Hertl returned to the ice with Vegas, but only for 13 games between the end of the regular season and the playoffs.

During that time, he was moved around the lineup and struggled to find chemistry with his new teammates.

"I should be a player that could play with anybody after such a long time in this league," Hertl said in May. "I just couldn't find my 100% game."

Four months later at the start of Golden Knights training camp, the forward no longer feels like he's "new." Inside the locker room and on the ice, Hertl is beginning to feel like he's home.

"I feel like I'm one of the guys now," Hertl said. "I don't feel I'm new anymore...I feel I'm part of the team and having fun with these guys, and I'm looking forward to the Oct. 9 start of the season."

The Golden Knights have welcomed Hertl with open arms. Hertl said that he's become really close with defenseman Alexander Holtz talking about Premier League soccer and has begun to show interest in the Golden Knights' history of pranks.

"If somebody will do something to me, I'll probably come even bigger," Hertl said on being pranked. "I just like having fun. That's why I love this locker room because they just like having fun. That's what makes fun to come (here) every day."

On the ice, Hertl is still trying to find the line he works best with. He's played at center and wing throughout his entire career and said he's willing to go where Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy needs him.

During his 11 seasons in San Jose, Hertl was a consistent scorer, averaging 44 points per season. Injury limited his 2023-24 production but had posted back-to-back 60+ point seasons in 2022 and 2023.

"I'm the center, but if Bruce (Cassidy) wants me on the wing, I've played 50/50 over 11 years, so whatever he needs me, I will be there," Hertl said. "Right now, I already know who I'm playing with during practice, and we're getting some good passes with chemistry, but we're still coming out of the gates, but I'm just excited to start the full season here."

Early on in training camp, Hertl has been centering the line of Nicolas Roy and Holtz. Complimenting is the word that Cassidy has been using a lot since the start of training camp and seeing which players will complement the others.

Cassidy said that the reason Hertl and Roy have been put on the same line is because they have a similar style of play, both creating a lot of opportunities in front of the net.

"The reason we're using Nic (Roy) is because Tomas is so hard on the puck down low, and that's a lot of Nic's game," Cassidy said. "He makes those plays below the circles, so having a guy that thinks the same way sometimes is a good starting point."

It was a shaky start for Hertl when he came to Vegas, but he always knew that things would pan out. He discovered the team's "fun" atmosphere further down the road but had always been excited about the team's reputation of success and commitment to each other.

"The team is together. Everybody is pulling one rope... All 23 guys play together," Hertl said. "That's how you can win the games. Right away when I got here, I knew this was a fun team and the guys have a great time, but they have each other's backs."