Three Potential Destinations for Maple Leafs’ Tyler Bertuzzi

These are the three places this writer believes Bertuzzi is most likely to end up.

1. Maple Leaf Toronto

The Maple Leafs still have some salary cap pressure to release, but they could keep Bertuzzi if they truly wanted to, provided that his three-year contract has an annual budget hit of between $5 million and $6 million. Bertuzzi had excellent treatment in Toronto, which is one of the main reasons he is thinking about coming back. With 15 goals and 23 points in the last 34 games of the season, the 29-year-old flourished in the second half of the campaign. He would still be a top-six regular with the Maple Leafs if he were to resign.
The likelihood that Bertuzzi will return to the Leafs is 60/40, in our opinion. In hockey free-agent decisions, it’s sometimes said that the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t. Although the Leafs disappointed once more in the previous season, Bertuzzi was resilient and willing to take a physical hit in and around an opponent’s net. The Leafs ought to be working hard to get him back.

2. DETROIT RED WINGS Bertuzzi’s greasy game is exactly what the Red Wings need more of. And, of course, his seven years with the Wings were very good to him. Detroit has about $29.3 million in cap space, and with the Wings trying desperately to get back into the Stanley Cup playoff picture, Bertuzzi’s willingness to bounce around in high-impact areas should be highly appealing.

Bertuzzi has got a good few years ahead of him as an above-average NHLer, so GMs should be fully aware they’d have to put forth a lucrative offer to Bertuzzi. But Detroit GM Steve Yzerman has shown he’s willing to spend money, and Bertuzzi could choose to go with the familiar and pull on a Red Wings jersey once again now that they’re closer to playoff contention.

3. NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Although the Predators didn’t have a dearth of offensive production the previous season, Bertuzzi would be a significant upgrade over Nashville’s top six forward group. Bertuzzi would provide the Predators with more experience and a higher level of overall toughness to play against, plus they have $26.3 million in cap space. By moving to Nashville, Bertuzzi would be freed from the brutal Toronto media and have a good chance of making a deep run in the postseason come spring and beyond.
Barry Trotz, the general manager of the Predators, is a highly knowledgeable and engaged hockey player, therefore he need to get in contact with Bertuzzi’s representative to discuss the possibility of bringing him to Nashville. If it comes down to it, Bertuzzi could find the chance to join the veteran-laden Predators too alluring to refuse, and the Predators can match almost any offer he receives.