New York Rangers: Exploring a trade for Tomáš Hertl

With the New York Rangers having a very deep prospect pool and looking to become legitimate contenders, it makes sense that they often are linked to top players on the market. The Jack Eichel rumors been a constant topic all summer, but with Buffalo’s large asking price and his injury trouble, could there be other options worth exploring? One player who comes to mind is San Jose Sharks forward, Tomáš Hertl.

Hertl may not bring in the same amount of hype as a young star like Eichel, but he is still an excellent player in his own right. The truth in his stats, but especially when looking at his last three seasons. Let’s look at them in chronological order.

During the 2018-19 season, he took his offense to an entirely new level, as he scored 35 goals and recorded 74 points. This came after a 46-point campaign in 79 games, so it was a noticeable increase. Due to his success that year, he was named an alternate captain of the team for the following season.

In 48 games during the 2019-20 season, his stats were a bit lower, but still very solid. In 48 games, he scored 16 goals and had 36 total points. For a bit more perspective, during the 2016-17 season, he had only 22 points in 49 games. However, this past season was once again a very strong one for the 27-year-old forward, as he had 19 goals and 43 points in just 50 games. That was closer to his career year during the 2018-19 season.

It is clear that he has blossomed into a legitimate top-six forward in this league, so he should be a player Ranger fans would accept with open arms. When looking at the situation closely, it does seem to be possible in the near future.