Golden Knights' Hertl not on trip, Theodore nears return

The Vegas Golden Knights could be without Tomas Hertl for some time.

The forward did not travel with the team on their three-game road trip and is still undergoing evaluation to determine the severity of his injury, general manager Kelly McCrimmon told the VGK Insiders show on Monday.

"He'll get tests done, I think he's had some today, and some more tomorrow to determine exactly what we're dealing with," McCrimmon told host Daren Millard.

Hertl was injured late in Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning when he was sent hard into the boards by Emil Lilleberg after a breakaway attempt. Hertl left the game and did not return, while the Tampa Bay defenceman received a two-minute minor penalty for boarding.

"I don't care what the penalty is, I don't think the game was going to change if we receive a two-minute power play or a five-minute power play," McCrimmon said. "My concern was more with Tomas. Yet, in saying that, the rules have been changed a little bit, in fact, since our playoff series against San Jose, where the officials can call a major, review it and then make a decision on five minutes, two minutes or rescind the penalty altogether. In this case, they decided to reduce it to a two-minute minor. I beg to differ, to be frank, with you with what that call was."

After the game, head coach Bruce Cassidy called it a "senseless hit" that came as Hertl was playing "the best hockey of his career."

The 31-year-old forward had four goals over his past two games to bring his season total to 30 along with 28 assists in 68 games.

Vegas acquired the long-time San Jose Shark in a blockbuster move at last year's NHL trade deadline.

In better news for the Golden Knights, injured defenceman Shea Theodore made the trip with the team and is expected to return to the lineup before they return home. The 29-year-old has been sidelined since he was hurt in Canada's opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.