CHICAGO (AP) — Tyler Bertuzzi played for three teams in the past two NHL seasons. He is hoping to stick around Chicago for a while.
Bertuzzi is ramping up with the Blackhawks after agreeing to a $22 million, four-year contract on the first day of free agency this summer. He has been playing on a line with Connor Bedard and Taylor Hall at the start of training camp, indicating his new team has big plans for the gritty winger.
“It's learning every day,” Bertuzzi said after Monday's practice. “I played with Hallsy a little bit in Boston, so I know him a little bit coming in here. Obviously we have a couple more practices and some preseason games to kind of figure things out.”
Coach Luke Richardson said he plans to look at some new lines as soon as Tuesday, and there will be more combinations throughout the season. But the trio of Bertuzzi, Bedard and Hall makes some sense.
Bertuzzi's ability to win puck battles and his willingness to go to the front of the net seems like a complementary skillset for the scoring ability of Bedard and Hall.
“He's a very skilled player. ... Really good in puck battles and getting the puck back,” Bedard said. “There's obviously a reason he's been a really good player for a while, so it's been fun so far.”
Bertuzzi, 29, was a second-round pick by Detroit in the 2013 draft. His uncle, Todd, also played in the league for 18 years.
Tyler Bertuzzi made his NHL debut in 2016 and spent his first six-plus seasons with the Red Wings. He set career highs when he had 30 goals and 32 assists during the 2021-22 season.
“Around the front of the net, he’s strong,” Richardson said. “He’s got a good presence physically and he’s kind of greasy scoring goals around there. He’s got a good strong stick and he can take the physicality and still make his plays, whether it be score or make good plays down low to other players. He can play with anybody; that type of player.”
Bertuzzi was an impending free agent when he was traded to Boston for two draft picks in March 2023, providing some depth for the Bruins with Hall sidelined by an injury. He made it to the playoffs for the first time with Boston, collecting five goals and five assists in seven games in a first-round loss to Florida.
It was a short stay with the Bruins. He signed a $5.5 million, one-year contract with Toronto and had 21 goals and 22 assists in a career-high 80 games in his only season with the Maple Leafs.
Back in free agency, Bertuzzi knew what he was looking for in a new team. Chicago was coming off a last-place finish in the Central Division, but it had Bedard in place as part of a group of promising young players. It also offered some stability for Bertuzzi with a four-year offer.
“A young team that's hungry and looking to try and slowly build something,” he said. “I went through it with Detroit. Hopefully here I can stick it out and be here for the turnaround. It was an opportunity to play, play with good players.”
It sounds as if it has been a good fit so far. Richardson said it seems like everybody loves Bertuzzi.
“He’s walking through the dressing room real bubbly, smiling, and he just seems like he’s got that carefree attitude off the ice,” Richardson said, “but on the ice, he’s all business, and that’s what we needed.”
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl