SAN JOSE – Tomas Hertl will represent the San Jose Sharks at the NHL All-Star Game next month in Toronto, the league announced Thursday.
Hertl, was among 32 players — one from each team – selected to take part in the reformatted event, which runs from Feb. 1-3 at Scotiabank Arena.
Before San Jose’s game with the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night at SAP Center, Hertl led the Sharks with 13 goals and 28 points in 37 games this season.
“It’s a big honor. I’m really happy I can go again,” Hertl said Thursday. “It’s special that it’s kind of in the heart of hockey in Toronto. It definitely means to me a lot.”
With Sharks captain Logan Couture out since the start of training camp, Hertl, 30, has taken on a greater leadership on a Sharks team that had a 9-26-3 record before Thursay.
Hertl also participated in the 2020 All-Star Game in St. Louis, but as a replacement after the league’s initial selection, Logan Couture, was injured and unavailable after he was chosen to play.
The all-star game is tweaking its format to help revitalize interest in the event.
A player draft is being re-introduced, as celebrities on Feb. 1 will be paired with team captains, who will pick the four teams of 11 players (nine skaters, two goalies) for the 3-on-3 tournament.
A skills competition is being held on Feb. 2 in which 12 players will compete for points in eight events, with the NHL All-Star who accumulates the most points taking home a prize of $1 million. The events are the fastest skater, hardest shot, stick handling, one-timers, a passing challenge; and accuracy shooting.
The top eight point-earners will advance to the seventh event, a shootout, in which each player will choose which goalie they shoot against. Following the shootout, the top six point-earners will advance to the eighth and final event, the obstacle course, where the point totals are doubled.
The tournament will be held on Feb. 3.
Also as part of the weekend, the NHL Alumni Association will announce its Man of the Year in a tribute to the 1967 Toronto Maple Leafs, who won the last Stanley Cup for the organization. The new Professional Women’s Hockey League will also play a 3-on-3 game.