Fabrice Herzog

History

2009-10: Fabrice Herzog was an assistant captain for the Pikes Oberthurgau U17 in Switzerland’s Elite Novizen as a 14-year-old after appearing in 17 games with the team the previous season. He scored 6 goals with 7 assists in 32 games and had 12 penalty minutes. Herzog scored 6 goals in six post-season games as Pikes Oberthurgau avoided relegation.

2010-11:Herzog appeared in three lower league men’s games with Pike Oberthurgau’s first and second teams and scored 22 goals in 27 games for the club’s U17 team. He had 1 assist and 2 penalty minutes in three men’s games. Herzog was the third-leading scorer for the U17 team, adding 14 assists to his 22 goals. He led the team in scoring in the relegation playoffs, scoring 6 goals with 3 assists in six games.

2011-12: Herzog skated for Zug in Switzerland’s Elite National junior league and represented Switzerland in the 2012 U18 World Junior Championship. He scored 18 goals with 14 assists in 35 games with Zug’s junior team and had 45 penalty minutes. Zug finished second and reached the playoff finals against Swiss champion GCK/ZSC Lions. Herzog scored 6 goals with 2 assists in ten playoff games. In six games for Switzerland’s U18 team at the WJC he scored 2 goals and was -2.

2012-13: Herzog played 20 games in Switzerland’s National A League for Zug and was the third-leading goal scorer in the Swiss Elite Jr A league while playing for Zug’s U20 team. He scored 2 goals with 2 assists and was +5 with 6 penalty minutes in 20 games with the Zug men’s team. Herzog scored 28 goals with 17 assists and 26 penalty minutes in 32 regular season junior games. In four playoff games he scored 3 goals with 2 assists. Ranked 59th amongst European skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings, Herzog was selected by Toronto in the fifth round (142nd overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.

2013-14: Herzog made his North American pro debut in April — joining the AHL’s Toronto Marlies following his first QMJHL season with the Quebec Remparts. He played for Switzerland at the 2014 World Juniors in Sweden. Herzog had no points and was -1 in five regular season games and did not play in any playoff games with Toronto. He was second on the Remparts with 32 goals trailing only Detroit prospect Anthony Duclair (50) and had 26 assists in 61 games while finishing +19 with 34 penalty minutes in the regular season. Quebec finished third in the East Division and lost to Rouyn-Noranda in a first-round playoff series. Herzog scored 3 goals with 2 assists and was -4 with 4 penalty minutes in five playoff games. He scored 3 goals with an even plus/minus in five games as Switzerland finished seventh in the WJC; losing 4-1 to Canada in the quarterfinals. 

2014-15: Herzog returned to Switzerland and competed with Zug in the Champions League rather than attending Leafs’ training camp. Skating with Zug in the Swiss National A league, he scored 6 goals with 3 assists and was +5 with 16 penalty minutes in 43 regular season games. Zug finished fourth,  falling to Davos in the playoff quarterfinals. Herzog had 3 assists and an even plus/minus with no penalties in six playoff games. He signed a two-year contract to play for ZSC Lions beginning in 2015-16 in December 2014. 

2015-16: Herzog skated in 34 games for the first-place ZSC Lions in his second National A season, missing time late in the year with an injury. Skating at times with 2016 NHL Draft prospect Auston Matthews, he score 9 goals with 13 assists and was +15 with 57 penalty minutes. The Zurich-based club was swept by upstart Bern SC, the eventual champion, in a first-round playoff series. Herzog scored 2 goals and had an even plus/minus with no penalties in four playoff games. He played two international contests with the Switzerland national team but did not compete in the World Championship. Herzog received a three-year contract extension from ZSC in April 2016. 

Talent Analysis

Herzog is a raw prospect with strong technical skills and the size to be an effective top -six forward one day. Having developed in the Switzerland junior system, he is ore of a goal scorer than a polished offensive player and is still learning the intricacies of positional play. He does not always play in tight spaces and is still figuring out how to use his size to advantage.

Future

Herzog played for ZSC Lions in Switzerland in 2015-16, skating at times with Toronto Maple Leafs' likely 2017 first-round pick Auston Matthews. Herzog has yet to sign an entry-level contract with Toronto and signed a three-year contract extension with the Lions that runs through the 2018-19 season. Selected by the previous regime in Toronto, Herzog has the size and technical skills to be an effective scoring forward in the NHL. Whether he pursues such an opportunity with either the Leafs or elsewhere is uncertain at this point.