Hertl Trade: GM Apology & Control Over Deal - Hovej.cz

Tomáš Hertl | Photo: NHL.com

He spun around him with speculations, rumors. Overseas reporters a few days ago broke the water of the information that the representative center Tomáš Hertl could change the headquarters again in the NHL. He said he appeared on Carolina radar. Player reaction? “I’m not afraid to go somewhere,” the attacker said contractually bound in Las Vegas on Thursday at the Golden Hockey Gala 2025.

What is your view of what has recently been circulating overseas media?
I honestly did not see it, rather my surroundings. I knew how it was. Until July 1, they can’t replace me at all, I have three teams that I choose. Then the general manager of Kelly McCrimmon called me that he apologizes, that this had just beenhed out, that nothing like that was solved. I was calm, I have it in my hands. When a journalist writes it, it’s fast, everyone will take it. I know they count on me for next year. But one can never know anything 100 %, so it just works.

Do you appreciate the GM Golden Knights?
Yeah, it’s nice. Everyone wrote to me that I was going to Carolina and I didn’t know why when we talked together after the season and said something. Vegas is one of the aggressive teams, no one has 100 % certain – whether it’s Jack Eichel or anyone. They want to win, have a quality team, are taking big steps. We’ll see what happens in a free players market in a week.

“Everyone wrote to me that I was going to Carolina and I didn’t know why.”

Are you happy with how your first year in the city of sins went?
I would be more if we played the play off longer. But after the start, when you played with the boys, the team and got used to everything new, it started to work around December. I found my line, the team played great. I started to fall there, we did. In addition, we had one of the best power play in the league. Everything went beautiful before I got injured in front of the playoffs. It was an unfortunate moment, I was afraid if I even got into the play off. The first round was good, then the second against Edmonton… I didn’t score any goal, even though I had decent matches. But it was expected from me, it was disappointing.

Did you play in the playoffs under sub -subducting pills?
Somehow half. It belongs to that one doesn’t think of it. Of course I would rather be damaged. I scored two hattrically in two weeks, scored goals, could reach a new maximum. It would be better if it didn’t.

When you mention the settings in the Vegas organization – do you feel pressure on success? Over eight years in the Golden Knights league, they went to the finals twice, in 2023 they reached the Stanley Cup …
The first year they were lucky that they did so. But the organization is so set, works great. The general manager goes for it every year, using gaps in the salary ceiling. Like Tampa. They do not rely that they are drafting players that will be good in two or three years. I was very glad that I could go there. After all, a career is shorter and you want to be in a team where they can win something.

Have you got to a cluster from the health point of view? The injury did not let you go to the World Championship in Denmark and Sweden.
Yeah, it’s okay. It doesn’t limit me. Now I have all the summer to strengthen my shoulder, but there should be no problem. I should be 100 %, it doesn’t bother me. It is only about strengthening it around, but according to doctors – and how I feel – I should be fine.

“After all, a career is shorter and one wants to be in a team where he can win something.”

Preparing for the upcoming season is in full swing?
I don’t give any great time off. I’m glad to do something. Children keep me at a pace, but I am already in preparation – I train with Radim Zohorná, Martin Nečas, as the last three years. Meanwhile in the gym, I’m going to ice in a moment. And I’m doing some sports around.

And you are planning to relax somewhere by the sea?
We didn’t even fly anywhere, we were at home. When 4 Nations were played in February, we were on vacation. Now we have a lot, for the next four weeks still some weddings. Maybe we’ll have a long weekend, but now rather such a family well -being at home in Prague.