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Sharks' Tomas Hertl motivated to bounce back in third season

Kristen J Shilton
USATODAY

LOS ANGELES — Like many athletes before him, San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl has experienced the anguish of the sophomore slump.

San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl scored in his team's 5-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.

After scoring 15 goals as a rookie in 2013-14, including four in one night against the New York Rangers, Hertl struggled after being hampered by a knee injury that season. He racked up just 13 goals in 82 games in 2014-15, a disappointing total in a disappointing, non-playoff season for the Sharks.

But as time heals all wounds, it proffers a clean slate. Hertl has been dead set on taking advantage of his.

“I feel pretty good now,” he said. “I changed my work out a little bit, changed my diet. I had blood testing and changed what I was eating from what’s bad to what’s good. I feel better now, and my body fat is down. I hope that this will help me all season and I’ll be stronger out there, be faster.”

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Hertl, 21, used Wednesday’s opening night contest against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center to dispel any notion he doesn’t belong with the big club. He scored in the 5-1 San Jose win, logging 13:57 of ice time.

“It was a pretty good game for us, but not the best start for our (line) since it was maybe my guy (Nick Shore) that scored (for the Kings),” Hertl said. “After though, everybody kept playing and all four lines did pretty well.”

Head coach Peter DeBoer noted how well his re-tooled team clicked across the board.

“I told the team, that game was a culmination of a month of hard work,” he said. “We worked and we paid attention to detail. We played (well) on all four lines, and we just have to keep replicating that.”

Which means Hertl could be sticking at center. Sharks general manager Doug Wilson has previously talked of moving him there full time, a tall order given San Jose employs Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, Chris Tierney and Ben Smith. But during camp, Hertl excelled, and he saw increased time centering the third line.

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“I like playing center, it’s good for me,” Hertl said. “Center is a bit tougher. You need to be better in faceoffs and play more in the defensive zone. I like it because (a) center is always moving. I have a little more speed to my game now, and I’m going against guys with more speed, and that’s good for me.”

Hertl's season is off to a good start, but it's too early to say whether he's going to bounce back. Don’t ask him to think too far ahead about what’s to come.

“That’s no good for my head,” Hertl said. “I just keep playing hard. I don’t think about goals or assists because thinking too much is bad for me. After a game, my head would be too busy otherwise. I will be happy with any (points).”

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