The Golden Knights strike again with the biggest trade of the deadline, acquire another $8M player

In a move that shocked the hockey world, the Golden Knights acquired forward Tomas Hertl from the San Jose Sharks for a bevy of picks and a very highly touted prospect.

After trading for Anthony Mantha and Noah Hanifin, while subsequently placing Mark Stone and Alec Martinez on the injured reserve, how does Vegas afford Hertl's lofty cap hit of $8.1375 million until the end of 2029-30? The veteran forward is currently on the injured reserve himself and should be ready come playoff time, once again bringing the cap circumvention discussion to the forefront.

Darren Dreger reported that the Golden Knights sent the Sharks a 2025 first round pick and prospect David Edstrom (2023 1st round pick). The Golden Knights also get a 3rd rounder in 2025, and a 3rd rounder in 2027 in the deal. It's important to note that the 2025 first round pick they sent to San Jose was originally sent to Calgary for Hanifin but it had an odd condition. It was a 2025 first rounder that would slide to 2026 should the Knights trade that pick at this year's deadline. The Sharks will also retain 17% of his salary.

Hertl has spent his entire 11-year career with the Sharks after being drafted in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. For a downtrodden basement-dwelling club, he put up decent numbers this season with 15 goals and 34 points in 48 games. Across his career, he has 218 goals and 484 points in 712 games and an additional 24 goals and 42 points in 62 playoff contests.

He will absolutely bolster the Golden Knights forward group that will be the dread of the NHL come playoff time. Fully healthy they will be comprised of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, Ivan Barbashev to go along with Alex Pietrangelo, Noah Hanifin, and Shea Theodore. This is not a team you want to come face-to-face with in the spring.