Source: Sharks' Injured C Hertl Out ‘weeks, Not Days'

GLENDALE, Az. – Sharks coach Pete DeBoer gave a brief update on injured center Tomas Hertl prior to the team’s game in Arizona on Saturday.

Q: Anything you can tell us about Hertl?

DeBoer: “I’ve got some early reports, but nothing concrete yet. … I don’t have enough information to give you anything concrete on it yet. When I do, I will.”

Q: Are the early reports encouraging or discouraging?

“Kind of right down the middle (laughs). I’m not BS-ing you. I think any time you have an issue it’s whether it’s serious enough that you need surgery or you don’t need surgery. I think that’s what it is. That’s the process they’re going through.”

A separate NHL source has told CSN that Hertl is expected to miss “weeks, not days,” but at this point the team does not believe surgery will be necessary.

Hertl, who flew back to San Jose on Friday for an MRI, was injured in the second period on Thursday in St. Louis, probably when he collided with the Blues’ Jori Lehtera. Replays indicated it could be his right knee, which he has injured twice in his four-year NHL career. On Dec. 31, 2013, Hertl had surgery to repair the MCL and PCL ligaments in the knee following a collision with the Kings' Dustin Brown. He missed approximately four months, returning just before the end of the regular season.

He hurt the knee again in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final in June on a hit from the Penguins' Patric Hornqvist. He missed the rest of that series, as well as the World Cup, after he was chosen to represent the Czech Republic.

Micheal Haley will return to the Sharks’ lineup against the Coyotes, while Melker Karlsson remains out with a left foot/ankle injury from blocking a shot on Nov. 12 in Tampa Bay.

In 17 games, Hertl has four goals and five assists for nine points. He has skated primarily as the team’s third line center.

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