The Vegas Golden Knights have made a major move to bolster their roster for a potential playoff run, acquiring forward Tomas Hertl from the San Jose Sharks in a blockbuster trade. In exchange for Hertl, the Golden Knights sent a 2025 first-round pick and forward David Edstrom to the Sharks, who also received a 2025 third-round pick and a 2027 third-round choice.
The Sharks will retain 17% of Hertl’s salary, leaving his cap hit at $6.75 million for Vegas. Despite being sidelined since undergoing surgery in February, Hertl is expected to return in time for the playoffs. Moving to Vegas puts Hertl on a legitimate contender, a far cry from being on one of the league’s worst teams.
This trade comes on the heels of the Golden Knights acquiring defenseman Noah Hanifin and forward Anthony Mantha to further strengthen their lineup. Interestingly, the conditions of the Hanifin trade were impacted by the Hertl acquisition, with the Flames now receiving an unconditional first-round pick in 2026.
While San Jose clears some cap room with this trade, the salary retention hinders their ability to make future moves. On the other hand, Vegas had no cap space before the trade and will need to find a way to fit Hertl’s salary into their long-term plans. However, since there are no salary cap restrictions in the postseason and Hertl is currently injured, the Golden Knights have some flexibility to address this situation before next season.
Overall, this trade significantly strengthens the Golden Knights’ lineup as they gear up for a postseason push, while also reshaping the Sharks’ roster and financial flexibility. It will be interesting to see how Hertl’s addition impacts Vegas and San Jose in the coming months.
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