Sharks' Tomas Hertl out for season with knee injury
The Sharks continue to trudge through a nightmarish campaign, and they’ll have to finish it off without all-star forward Tomas Hertl, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after tearing his ACL and MCL, according to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz.
Tomas Hertl torn ACL and MCL in left knee. Out for the season.
— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) January 30, 2020
Hertl went into the boards awkwardly after getting tangled up with Canucks defenceman Chris Tanev during San Jose’s 5-2 loss to the Canucks on Wednesday. The Sharks forward left the game and did not return before being diagnosed with two torn ligaments on Thursday.
Tomas Hertl will NOT return tonight.#SJSharks
pic.twitter.com/aAkoAQVSEI— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) January 30, 2020
As of this writing, San Jose sits third from the bottom in the Pacific Division, way outside the playoff picture. With no goaltending in sight, Logan Couture sidelined for at least a couple more weeks and Hertl now lost for the year, the Sharks will have quite a battle ahead of them just to avoid finishing in the basement of the Western Conference.
And there’s potential for even more pain for the Sharks fanbase if the team does slip a couple more spots in the standings, as it could very well end up being a Top 5 pick or better San Jose ends up giving to the Senators this season as part of the Erik Karlsson deal.
Ottawa, who sits near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, now has a very realistic shot at picking twice in the very early part of the first round of the 2020 Entry Draft, which boasts a very top-heavy crop of prospects.
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