Preview/Lines #71: DeBoer Wasn’t Caught Off Guard by Hertl Trade, Praises Sharks Owner

The Dallas Stars happened to be around for a pivotal point in San Jose Sharks history.

On Mar. 5, the Stars shocked the Sharks, coming back from a 6-3 deficit for a 7-6 OT victory at SAP Center. Dallas stayed in San Jose over the next two days.

Then, on Mar. 8, the Sharks returned the favor, shocking the hockey world by dealing franchise icon Tomas Hertl to the Vegas Golden Knights at the Trade Deadline.

Stars head coach Pete DeBoer, however, wasn’t surprised.

DeBoer revealed to San Jose Hockey Now today that Hertl had told him, assistant coach Steve Spott, and Joe Pavelski during their last trip here that a move might be coming.

DeBoer and Spott coached Hertl from 2015 to 2020, and Pavelski played with Hertl from 2013 to 2019.

DeBoer says that Hertl didn’t disclose the destination though.

“I’m a big Tomas Hertl fan,” DeBoer said. “We were more concerned about his health.”

Hertl had minor knee surgery in February, but is skating now, and appears to be on track to make his Golden Knights debut soon. The defending champs are holding on to the last wild card berth in the West.

Meanwhile, San Jose is headed for their fifth straight season out of the playoffs and are in the midst of a long rebuild.

But DeBoer has faith in the Sharks, all the way up to the top.

“The one thing that I’ve appreciated, now this is my fifth stop, is Hasso Plattner is an A+ owner. He’s all in, wants to win, wants to do what’s right,” he said earlier this month. “I really enjoyed working for him. I know he’s committed to the area and the team and everything like that.”

San Jose Sharks (16-46-8)

Mackenzie Blackwood will start, otherwise, it looks like the Sharks will be running a similar line-up to their last game.

#SJSharks lines tonight, Cooley’s first start in San Jose:

Kostin-Granlund-Zetterlund
Zadina- Kunin-Barabanov
Bordeleau-Sturm-Bailey
Eklund-Carpenter-MacDonald

Ferraro-Burroughs
Thrun-Rutta
Vlasic-Addison

Cooley

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) March 24, 2024

Dallas Stars (44-19-9)

Wedgewood in goal

Seguin out. Dellandrea in.

Seguin just getting a rest day coming back from injury.

— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) March 26, 2024

This is how the Stars lined up in their last game, a win over the Arizona Coyotes:

Expected lineup:

Robertson-Hintz-Pavelski
Marchment-Duchene-Seguin
Benn-Johnston-Stankoven
Faksa-Steel-Smith

Harley-Heiskanen
Lindell-Tanev
Suter-Lundkvist

Oettinger

— Mike Heika (@MikeHeika) March 24, 2024

Where to Watch

Puck drop between the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars is 7:30 PM at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California. Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.