Sharks' Tomas Hertl Comments On Future With Team

San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl told reporters that he would like to remain with the Sharks for the rest of his career if possible. Yet, he also noted that there isn't a guarantee that a deal will occur, too.

With this development, it's honestly challenging to determine if the Sharks will trade Hertl by the deadline. It truly could go either way. It's encouraging that he has made it publicly known that he would like to stay with the Sharks, but it's difficult to say if they will reach an agreement financially.

Hertl also previously stated that he wants to play for a competitive team. The Sharks are showing signs of being one this year, as they have a 22-20-4 record, but are also seventh in the Pacific Division. Even with their low spot in the standings, they only trail the Anaheim Ducks by seven points for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. They also have three games in hand, so they could very well catch them. Perhaps this improvement could be enough to convince the star center to stay.

In 46 games this season, Hertl has 22 goals to go along with 38 total points. If he is in fact made available, he would be the biggest rental candidate on the market. If both sides are unable to reach an agreement, we will have to wait and see what happens from here.