The Vegas Golden Knights had a helluva trade deadline. They acquired Anthony Mantha, Noah Hanifin, and Tomas Hertl, all in seismic trades. The landscape shifted, with the hapless Golden Knights suddenly beaming with hope.
But the question remains for their big get, Tomas Hertl. When will the Czech star step onto the ice for the Golden Knights? It's time to get acquainted with the newest member of the Vegas Golden Knight (and former enemy), Mr. Hertl.
Some Background on Tomas Hertl's Lower-Body Injury
So the former Vegas villain-turned-hero, Tomas Hertl, had surgery on February 12 to clean out loose cartilage from his left knee. Sounds squeaky clean, right? Not so fast.
Hertl was experiencing discomfort in his left knee all season. The 30-year-old center is improving in his rehabilitation, giving hope to Vegas hockey fans everywhere.
The Czech star is expected to return before the end of the season, as confirmed by Kelly McCrimmon.
Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon confirmed Tomas Hertl is expected to return during the regular season, while Mark Stone has a lacerated spleen. Stone will miss rest of regular season, adding, "it's impossible to know what the timeline is."
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 8, 2024
Losing a Mark Stone to a lacerated spleen, only to gain your formerly sworn enemy is the perfect example of irony. Yet, it's where the Golden Knights are right now.
So When Will Tomas Hertl Make His Vegas Golden Knights Debut?
With Hertl's rehabilitation going well, there's a good chance the 30-year-old returns quicker than expected. Imagine a Vegas Golden Knights team with that forward depth up the middle. It'd be a daunting task to take on such a group.
With that, let's pinpoint an exact date. Maybe March 25, with the Golden Knights traveling to St. Louis? A matchup against the Blues would be a good warm-up for the Czech center to get his feet wet, playing with his new linemates.
The left knee injury isn't too severe, for it was just cleaning out any additional cartilage. It should allow him to get going, specifically when the competition ramps up on the trip to middle America.