The Chicago Blackhawks have signed gritty forward Tyler Bertuzzi to a new contract. The 29-year-old put pen to paper on a four year deal. With this deal, Bertuzzi and the Blackhawks will hold a cap hit of $5.5 million per season.
Bertuzzi Inks Contract With Blackhawks
After Toronto general manager, Brad Treliving signed Bertuzzi to a one-year deal in the previous offseason, the winger will spend the next four years in Chicago, unless he gets moved of course.
In the last two seasons, Bertuzzi has played for three different Atlantic Division teams. Drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 2013 with the 58th pick, he had spent most of his career in Motor City. During his seventh season with the Wings, he was traded to the Boston Bruins and the fans loved him. Unfortunately for him, the Bruins playoff run ended very quickly. The Florida Panthers took them down in seven games despite Boston being heavy favourites and breaking records in the regular season.
Later that offseason, Bertuzzi took his talents to Toronto where he spent all of last season. There’s no denying that he had a slow start in his first campaign as a Maple Leaf. Both himself and Max Domi took some time to fit in with their new teammates. In Bertuzzi’s first 27 games of this past season, he only put up nine points. During that time he took turns with the Leafs’ “Core Four”, so naturally many questions and doubts were raised about him early on.
However, as the season progressed, Bertuzzi found his footing and began to fit in to the Leafs roster. It made sense, a player like Bertuzzi compliments top end skill, something the Leafs have plenty of. The type of complimentary style of play that Zach Hyman once graced in Toronto. Players like those really thrive in the playoffs and proof of that would be Bertuzzi’s four points in Toronto’s first round matchup against Boston.
Main Photo: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
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