Tomas Hertl contract: Were Sharks wise to give huge extension?

Editor's note: Sheng Peng will be a regular contributor to NBC Sports California's Sharks coverage for the 2021-22 season. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at Sheng_Peng.

LOS ANGELES — The San Jose Sharks said they weren’t re-building, and they proved it this afternoon by re-signing pending UFA Tomas Hertl to an eight-year, $65.1 million dollar contract.

Here are my first thoughts – I’ll have plenty more in the coming days and weeks.

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CONTRACT

It’s a fair deal for both Tomas Hertl and the San Jose Sharks.

For the 28-year-old, he gets the maximum contract that he was likely to receive this summer from another suitor, with that extra year that only the Sharks could’ve offered.

For the Sharks, Hertl falls between Sean Couturier’s $7.75 million dollar and Mika Zibanejad’s $8.5 million AAV. While he’s not necessarily better than Couturier, he’s well within range of that caliber of first-line center. San Jose paid a small premium for their inability to lock up Hertl this past summer, when Couturier re-signed. Naturally, as we get closer to the free agency period – and coupled with Hertl’s strong contract year campaign – rates were going to rise a little.