GOTTA SEE IT: Hertl Tells Prince Harry To Drop Puck

It’s not everyday that you meet royalty.

The San Jose Sharks, however, have done so twice, and both times against the Vancouver Canucks.

Before Monday night’s tilt in Vancouver, Prince Harry dropped the puck for the ceremonial faceoff. Harry was promoting the 2025 Invictus Games, to be held in British Columbia.

San Jose Sharks alternate captain Tomas Hertl and Canucks captain Quinn Hughes took the draw.

This was echoes of 2002, when Queen Elizabeth dropped the puck in a ceremonial faceoff between alternate captain Mike Ricci and captain Markus Naslund.

21 years ago, Queen Elizabeth dropped the puck in a ceremonial faceoff between the Canucks and Sharks in Vancouver. Today, Harry did it pic.twitter.com/nociAUcCTi

— Brogan Houston (@houston_brogan) November 21, 2023

According to the Sharks, Harry’s appearance (Meghan Markle came too) was kept hush-hush until close to puck drop, surely for security reasons.

Two points and two new #Canucks fans tonight! pic.twitter.com/tpHDDZg5Il

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 21, 2023

“It’s a pretty cool moment. Shake hands with Prince Harry,” Hertl said after the San Jose Sharks’ 3-1 loss. “Probably I’ll never forget it, but it’ll be better if you get the two points from tonight.”

“It’s cool he came to the game and I hope he enjoyed it,” Hughes told Rob Williams of the Daily Hive.

Hertl has an extra-special memory from all this. He actually gave an order to the prince – see how long Harry held the puck as the cameras snapped.

Prince Harry drops the puck between Quinn Hughes and Tomas Hertl before tonight's #Canucks game pic.twitter.com/KdmPjyazw7

— Lachlan Irvine (@LachInTheCrease) November 21, 2023

“I actually had to tell him because he’s holding it and smiling. I said it’s time to drop it,” Hertl said genially.