SAN JOSE -- The Sharks held an optional skate Tuesday morning ahead of their contest with the visiting Minnesota Wild, and Tomas Hertl was one of those that opted to skate.
The 24-year-old forward is being considered a game-time decision after leaving the Sharks’ last game with a suspected head injury. He did not practice Monday
Sharks coach Peter DeBoer told the media after practice that he doesn’t have a set lineup for Tuesday’s game, but that the coaching staff would see how the young forward was feeling after practice. DeBoer acknowledged it appears Hertl is improving.
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SIGN UP HERE “That’s why he’s on the ice today,” DeBoer said. “That’s a good sign and another step, and we’ll see how he feels after.”
Hertl agreed that he feels better than he did Monday when he was absent from practice, but that he knows he needs to be 100 percent before he can be put back into the lineup.
“This is not something you can play through,” Hertl said. “But I want to help the team too. I don’t want to be there 80 percent and just be there on the ice or do nothing. I want to be there 100 percent.”
The winger was taken out of Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers in the second period after defenseman Christian Folin’s shoulder knocked Hertl in the head.