Sometimes, life doesn't give you what you want. Sometimes, you ask for time off at work and your boss doesn't honor your request. Sometimes, you get rerouted on your flight because the customer service rep isn't as smart as they think they are, loading up too many people at once. Life stinks at times, doesn't it?
That's certainly the case for Tomas Hertl right now. The Vegas Golden Knights center wasn't named to the preliminary six for the Czech Republic's 2026 Olympic roster. Instead, it consisted of the following players.
Czech out the first six names on our preliminary roster for the Olympic Winter Games #MilanoCortina 2026! 🇨🇿
— Český hokej (@czehockey) June 16, 2025
Česko zná prvních šest jmen předběžné soupisky národního týmu pro zimní olympijské hry v roce 2026. 🇨🇿 Kdo už se nemůže dočkat? 😍 #olympics pic.twitter.com/vEiEY0tvsj
I could name one player who Hertl could easily replace: Lukas Dostal. Sure, the 24-year-old is on the rise as the Anaheim Ducks goaltender. However, Hertl scored 32 goals and 29 assists this past season with the Golden Knights. He also set the franchise record in power play goals scored with 14, reinventing the historically pathetic unit (28.3%, second-best in the NHL).
The 31-year-old has a solid career overall, scoring 252 goals and 297 assists. 65 of those goals and 69 of those assists have come on the power play, making him a staple on the man advantage. But that isn't the only reason why he deserves more love in the Olympic discussion.
Why Tomas Hertl deserves more love on the Czech Republic roster
Looking at Hertl's statistics, you'll see how valuable he is to the Golden Knights. He's your go-to guy in the slot, creating uncomfortable mismatches for his opponents. The Czech Republic could use a guy like him in front, wreaking havoc on opposing goaltenders.
The stats themselves tell an incredible story of Hertl's effectiveness. First, let's look at the basics of what the Prague native could provide to his home country (stats courtesy of ESPN).
Stats | Number | Rank |
|---|---|---|
Goals | 32 | Tied for 31st |
Power play goals | 14 | Tied for fifth |
Points | 61 | Tied for 79th |
But that's not all! His advanced stats also show his value to the Olympic roster. Why not get a guy who's valuable in generating high-danger goals, among many other things (stats courtesy of MoneyPuck)?
Player | Rebounds Created Above Expected | Flurry Adjusted xGoals | High-Danger xGoals | Corsi | Fenwick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tomas Hertl | 9.2 | 29.8 | 19.08 | 60% | 61% |
Not only is he valuable in creating potential goals, but he's also terrific at creating rebounds. Imagine having Hertl shoot the puck and David Pastrnak pounces on a loose rebound. That would be enough to feed families for centuries in Prague.
There is some good news for Hertl, though
The good news? He still has a chance to make the roster. While it shouldn't be a surprise that Hertl will eventually make the roster, he deserves more love on the Olympic front. He had a record-breaking season akin to Jack Eichel and should be recognized as such.
There's no doubt that he's important to the Vegas Golden Knights. The entire city of Las Vegas knows that. Even the tourists know what's up with the 31-year-old. However, it goes beyond merely being good yourself.
The center was essential to the Golden Knights having the best power play in franchise history. Sure, you might've had Pavel Dorofeyev score 13 goals with his left-handed shot atop the umbrella. But you're not getting deflections or redirections without Hertl's big keester up front.
Maybe there's a "Ducks" conspiracy involving the Czech team and Anaheim. Perhaps they just forgot that Hertl simply exists. But "Fun isn't always" without the ambassador orchestrating the fun.