Sharks Re-sign Tomas Hertl to 8-Year Contract Extension

 Early signs were pointing to the Sharks keeping Tomas Hertl around, and things are now official between the two parties. 

Tomas Hertl and the Sharks have agreed to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of roughly $8 million, which keeps him around until the 2029-30 season. A deal had to get done soon before Monday's trade deadline since Hertl becomes a UFA this offseason, and I'm super thrilled that he's sticking around for the long haul. 

Hertl has been having one of the best seasons out of anyone on the Sharks roster this season, recording 25 goals and 23 assists for 48 points in 59 games so far. He is currently tied with Timo Meier for the team lead in goals and second behind Meier in points. 

In addition, a three-year no-movement clause and a five-year limited no-trade clause have been attached to the Hertl extension. What makes this contract extension better is that Ninja Hertl is one of my favorite players on the Sharks. Not only is he a great scoring forward, he also has a great personality and always has a smile on his face. 

I am aware that there are people who feel skeptical about the Hertl contract extension due to the term, value, salary cap, and direction they feel the Sharks should be heading in. However, the Sharks have stated that they aren't rebuilding, and Tomas Hertl feels that the Sharks can get back to being a perennial playoff contender within the next eight years and enjoys San Jose, explaining why he just signed a contract extension this afternoon. 

I love Tomas Hertl's positive outlook on the future of the Sharks, and I am grateful that the Sharks find ways to keep their star players around (for the most part). With the announcement of the Hertl extension, hopefully the Sharks can re-sign other key players in the near future, such as Timo Meier, Mario Ferraro, and Alexander Barabanov, while working around and staying under the salary cap.

Sources: NHL App, Elliotte Friedman via Twitter 

Photos featured in this post were from my most recent NHL game between the Sharks and Ducks in Anaheim on February 22.