Sharks bring back Thornton, sign free agent Hertl

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Sharks have re-signed center Joe

Thornton to a one-year contract and signed restricted free-agent forward Tomas Hertl toa four-year deal.

The team announced the deals on Thornton’s 39th birthday Monday. Thornton tested the free agent market last summer before returning to San Jose on a one-year, $8 million deal but was intent the whole time this year on staying with the Sharks and signed a $5 million contract.

The 24-year-old Hertl had 22 goals and 24 assists in 79 games this past season. In other NHL news:

Calgary signed forward James Neal toa five-year, $28.75 million contract, giving Johnny

Gaudreau and the rest of the Flames a much-needed scoring boost. Neal, who spent last season with the Vegas Golden Knights, has topped 20 goals in each of his 10 NHL seasons, and was considered the top player left on the free-agent market a day after the NHL’s signing period opened.

A judge has dismissed a misdemeanor domestic abuse conviction against former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov ,a move that could clear a path for his return to the NHL. The judge granted Voynov’s request to dismiss his conviction — over the objection of Los Angeles County prosecutors — three years after he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of corporal injury to a spouse.

The Kings terminated Voynov’s $25 million contract in 2015 but with his conviction overturned, he can request a hearing with the NHL commissioner to apply for reinstatement.