When you have a five-point performance against your old squad, you deserve to be recognized for your talents. Of course, that applies to Tomas Hertl, who's gone on a goal-scoring tear with the Vegas Golden Knights. His past week has been one of the best, with the Czech Republic native receiving a big honor from the NHL.
Tomas Hertl is the NHL's first star of the week.
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) January 12, 2026
He had 3 goals and 6 assists in four games this week, and was officially named an Olympian for Czechia. Quite the week.
To put things into perspective, Hertl had three goals and six assists last week. That included two goals and three assists against the Sharks on Sunday, dominating his former team in a 7-2 victory. His last four games have seen him score these three goals and six assists. In turn, the Golden Knights have won four straight games, while creating some distance in the Pacific Division race.
Hertl has 18 goals and 21 assists on the season, with those 18 goals leading the Golden Knights. Nine goals and seven assists have come on the league's fourth-best power play (26.1%). It's safe to say that the power play has been in "Fun Must Be Always" mode since everyone's favorite turtle arrived on the scene.
Tomas Hertl had the best week possible with the Olympics and the Vegas Golden Knights
Do you remember that iconic Ice Cube song, "Today Was A Good Day"? It talked about how everything shook out in the rapper's favor, ranging from him messing around and getting a triple-double to the Los Angeles Lakers beating the Seattle Supersonics. Well, think of this for Hertl, only it was extended to a good week.
The center cranked up the scoring, asserting his dominance in the bumper. He also did his usual power play tricks, scoring two goals and two assists on the unit last week. As a result, the Golden Knights are shaping up to be one of the deadliest teams in the NHL.
That's not even mentioning how the Prague native set the single-season franchise record for the most power play goals last season. There's no doubt that he's been a boon for the Golden Knights, adding another dimension to the attack. Now, Vegas has a slot presence that they can abuse like a cheat code, unleashing the man-advantage fury on their opponents.
If Hertl keeps this up, there could be greater things in store for the Golden Knights. You already know what's waiting beyond the 2025-26 hill. It's what the franchise has worked hard to fight for every season. It's also what Hertl could lead the Golden Knights to this season, only with a "Fun Must Be Always" flair.