Golden Knights Features
Tomáš Hertl Reacts to His Ten-Game Point Streak

One year ago today, Tomáš Hertl was a San Jose Shark. He hadn’t yet been placed on Injured Reserve, but Hertl had played his last game in teal. He would later decide to undergo surgery to remove loose cartilage from his left knee– but that wasn’t until later.
Now a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, Hertl is fully healthy and playing some of the best hockey of his life. He’s still getting fully adjusted to the new system, but he’s comfortable with where his game is at.
“Sometimes, when you get confidence, this is just how you play,” said Hertl. “Like, at the end of the season, when you come to a new team, [getting over an] injury, but then you find your spot in the lineup. Over the last month, I feel more comfortable in the system, and I’ve got more confidence. When you have confidence, everything is better. You move better, and your hands are going. I’m feeling pretty good now.”
Hertl plays a distinctive style of hockey. When he’s at his best, he’s parked in front of the opposing goalie, using his soft hands to his advantage.
“I like to use my big body around the net. That’s where I’ve scored the majority of my goals in the NHL, you know, from the tips, on the power play in the bumper, or just rebounds. That’s the type of hockey I play. I never was the fastest guy on the team, but I’ve got a big body. I have to use it around the net.”
His whole line has been red-hot lately. Hertl has been centering Victor Olofsson and Pavel Dorofeyev since January 12th– just one game after his point streak started on the 11th.
“I think me, [Pavel Dorofeyev], and [Victor Olofsson] found some chemistry,” Hertl said. “Everybody’s getting points and scoring goals. I think we feel pretty good in the offensive zone. Every night, we have some good chances, and now the goals are going in for us, so we have to keep doing that. We definitely want to be a little better defensively [as a line], but I think we’re doing a better job.”
Hertl is invaluable to this team. Not only is he fourth on the team in scoring and second in goals, he’s also second in power-play goals. His contributions have significantly impacted the power play, which is performing better this season than ever before. The season is far from over, but right now, the power play is 3rd in the league with a 28.3% success rate. The previous best? 22.0% back in 2019-2020.
“All year, we’ve had a really good power play,” said Hertl. “It helps us win games. We just have to keep doing it because you never know when you’ll get colder. We have to just keep digging in and playing hard.”
Oh, and in case you haven’t heard, Hertl is riding the longest point streak of his life.
On Tuesday, Tomáš Hertl scored early in the first period, extending his point streak to ten games. He’s got eight goals and six assists over this stretch. He’s also just the second player in Golden Knights history to record a ten-game point streak.
So, was Hertl aware of the personal milestone? Yeah, he was. Athletes typically try to drown out the noise, but they’re only human. Most of them– Hertl included– even have social media.
“Yeah, I knew… My family told me before it was at eight,” said Hertl about his ten-game point streak. “It’s nice to break your own record, make some [accomplishments] in your career, so you can one day look back. Definitely, you know, you can’t be mad about that… But you don’t think about it because you just want to keep going and keep helping your team.”
Hertl knows what he’s achieved, but the point streak isn’t what matters most to him. He’s more interested in winning.
“It’s nice to get points and score some goals for the team, but I’m always looking for more team points. We need more right now. But I’m getting the chances now, and the goals are going in. It feels pretty nice when you can help the team like that. That’s why I’m here. I want to keep going the best I can, but I want two points for the team every night.”