Confirmed with Link: Bertuzzi signs two-year deal

[cjm502]

Where did all this trade Bert speculation come from? He is part of our young core and one of the most important players on the team on a good contract. Bert is exactly what the Wings need, someone who can do it all and excel at it. Unless the return is massive, I dont understand the trade speculation. Its not like hes an older player who will be washed up by the time the team is ready to make a cup run.

 

[golffuul]

This is a great deal that allows Yzerman to hedge his bets. It allows the team to see what Bertuzzi will do after surgery without a long-term contract. If things go poorly, he can always move him off, or if things go well and the team/player decide it's a good fit, they sign him to an extension. It's a perfect contract that has all the flexibility an organization wants without offending the player (think Pierre-Luc Dubois).

 

[WaW]

Love this deal because we could get extremely good value for him in a trade with 50% retention. Still good value without retention but I'd retain to maximize the value

 

[deca guard]

 

[KJoe88]

This is his year to prove whether or not he gets extended or traded.

This is exactly what this is.

If he ends up playing well and wanting to stay I imagine he get extended for 5-6 years. If he doesn’t, I see #19 trading him most likely this year.

 

[kliq]

Love it. Im sure he gets traded before the contract expires, and Bertuzzi is the type of player that you dont want when he's 30. I just cant see him physically being the same. We are already seeing him with injury problems.

 

[jaster]

That second year is going to be really attractive in a trade this season. Almost seems like if he isn't traded this season, and he wants to stick around, there's a greater chance he's re-signed long-term during year 2 of the contract. Still unlikely though. I like Bertuzzi as a long-term fit, but the tea leaves seem to indicate that won't be the case. Sure seems like there is tension between the two camps regarding his worth and he's not long for Detroit. The upside is that the return should be very nice, especially with The Robber at the helm.

 

[Revenge of Gru]

Not locking him up last year was a major blunder. One of the reasons it took so long to win a cup in Tampa is that Yzerman has no appreciation for players like Bert. This contract ensures that we never see him suit up for a playoff game as a Red Wing.

 

[ricky0034]

P.S. In regards to the UFA status. I am a believe in paying players what they are worth NOW... not guessing their production in the future.

We should have no real issues signing our UFA's later in the process if our team continues to improve.
The cap will be flat for longer than we expect.

a fine sentiment in theory but in practice you'll never be the best team doing that when other teams are getting cap discounts by successfully making longer term projections

(not that i'd want to sign Bertuzzi long term in this particular case with the injury concerns though)

2 years does seem pretty ideal for a trade this deadline if Yzerman wants to go that route as well

 

[The Real Pastafarian]

I love Bertuzzi, and I would have preferred something like 5 years at $4.8M per year. Or maybe a little less than that if he'd take it.

I hope he demonstrates that he's healthy, and gets an extension or another contract in a couple of years, for not too much money.

But I'm going to agree with some of you guys: This feels like an easily tradable contract. I can see the logic of it, he's 26 and we're starting to assemble a "new core" of guys that are very young. It's just a damned shame if we trade him, I think he's worth way more than the late first we'd get back. Great character guy, smart, sticks up for teammates without being an instigating dipshit, skates well, chips in with some scoring. He's the kind of guy that will probably still be productive in his mid-30s too.

I mean, if we can find some goof that will give us a Vrana-level guy plus a late first, I guess we'd have to take that. Hey, Lil' Bertuzzi is a former all-star -- Mantha's never going to an all-star game without buying tickets. Hope springs eternal.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Good signing, protects Larkin a little and crafty around the net. Now can we please change his number?? 59 bothers the f outta me… lol

we can change it to "Mr. 59" a la Al Geiberger, the famous golfer who "became the first player in history to post a score of 59 (−13) in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event." Geiberger turned pro in 1959 and joined the PGA Tour in 1960. Geiberger won 11 tournaments on the PGA Tour,

 

[ricky0034]

Why is everybody so desperate to trade Bertuzzi? You wanna end up like Buffalo, constantly trading away your roster players for futures* and never actually improving? The Nephtuzzi provides a skillset that other no forward on our roster does - if and when we get back to the playoffs, he is exactly the kind of player you want.

A 2 year deal inc a year of free agency looks to me exactly like the kind of compromise deal you make with a guy coming off back surgery. If he proves his health, he gets a big fat contract, if he becomes Dekeyser 2.0 then the Wings aren't lumbered with an anchor of a contract.


* Yes I realise this is HFBoards where picks>>prospects>>young players>>actual NHL players, but still.

he's 26 and has the type of skillset that doesn't age well into a players 30s

AND he has back issues now

desperation isn't quite the right word, but it would be a smart move from an asset management point of view

he's a better player than them so it probably wouldn't age quite as bad but it's like when Holland extended Abdelkader and Helm long term instead of trading them

 

[The Real Pastafarian]

he's 26 and has the type of skillset that doesn't age well into a players 30s

AND he has back issues now

desperation isn't quite the right word, but it would be a smart move from an asset management point of view

How so?

He's not a power forward. A lot of those guys have short careers.

He's not entirely reliant upon speed -- he plays with a high hockey IQ, right place at the right time.

 

[The Zermanator]

That second year is going to be really attractive in a trade this season. Almost seems like if he isn't traded this season, and he wants to stick around, there's a greater chance he's re-signed long-term during year 2 of the contract. Still unlikely though. I like Bertuzzi as a long-term fit, but the tea leaves seem to indicate that won't be the case. Sure seems like there is tension between the two camps regarding his worth and he's not long for Detroit. The upside is that the return should be very nice, especially with The Robber at the helm.

That's what I'm wondering about. And with the Wings not likely to be coming close to the cap ceiling for the next couple seasons, there could even be retention. Retain 1.75M and I bet there'd be a few capped out contenders that would pay a big price for Bertuzzi at at 3M cap hit for 2 playoff runs.

 

[lhsgolf19]

 

[Bench]

Sure seems like there is tension between the two camps regarding his worth and he's not long for Detroit.

I've said it before, but if I'm Bert's agent I'm telling him to seek out the Josh Anderson deal. There's virtually nothing separating those two guys on paper and GMs love to pay up long-term to guys like Bert.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

This contract makes Bert very trade-able at the TDL. 1st round return here we come!

 

[Shaman464]

How so?

He's not a power forward. A lot of those guys have short careers.

He's not entirely reliant upon speed -- he plays with a high hockey IQ, right place at the right time.

His IQ isn't that high, he's more of what Babcock wanted Abdelkader to be: The piano puller. dude goes to the dirty areas and fights for position/the puck. He's taken a lot of hits, cross checks, and the like. Someone whose already had what can only be called major, life altering surgery, at the very young age of 26, shouldn't be expected to return to full form, and definitely not for a long period.

Also, its becoming clear Bertuzzi sees himself elsewhere after this contract. Which is fine, the team has better options at wing in the top 6 in the system.

 

[TheOctopusKid]

His IQ isn't that high, he's more of what Babcock wanted Abdelkader to be: The piano puller. dude goes to the dirty areas and fights for position/the puck. He's taken a lot of hits, cross checks, and the like. Someone whose already had what can only be called major, life altering surgery, at the very young age of 26, shouldn't be expected to return to full form, and definitely not for a long period.

Also, its becoming clear Bertuzzi sees himself elsewhere after this contract. Which is fine, the team has better options at wing in the top 6 in the system.

I mean - what you're hoping for long term is a TJ Oshie: 50pt, right winger with high enough skill and handle not to hold back Backstrom and Ovechkin, but knows his role and creates space, second chance opportunities, and drives possession. You're right, you don't exactly need to be a rocket scientist to play that role, you need a good all-round skill set, and a willingness and doggedness to chase - which he does. Now the question remains - is he the exception like Oshie? Or is he like a countless list of two-way, all rounders who play with energy and round out a skill line but whose bodies eventually breakdown due to the stress of their game?

 

[Shaman464]

I mean - what you're hoping for long term is a TJ Oshie: 50pt, right winger with high enough skill and handle not to hold back Backstrom and Ovechkin, but knows his role and creates space, second chance opportunities, and drives possession. You're right, you don't exactly need to be a rocket scientist to play that role, you need a good all-round skill set, and a willingness and doggedness to chase - which he does. Now the question remains - is he the exception like Oshie? Or is he like a countless list of two-way, all rounders who play with energy and round out a skill line but whose bodies eventually breakdown due to the stress of their game?

Given the fact he's had to have back surgery in his mid 20s, I would bet against it.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Good deal. I like him way more than Mantha who I was lobbying to trade for years, but he's at the age where he is going to have to be traded either this season or next. It should be a good return, he's in his prime right now and plays a game that is successful in the playoffs. I wish he was a few years younger, he's a really solid player, the timing is just off for when our window opens up. But until then I will enjoy watching him play for Detroit.

 

[TheOctopusKid]

Given the fact he's had to have back surgery in his mid 20s, I would bet against it.

Yeah, it's not looking great. I was pretty confident that Bertuzzi was going to be moved after the Mantha trade happened; after seeing the term of this contract? It feels almost like a certainty at this point. Fortunately for us, regardless of his back and long term health - if he can play half a season, he is literally the epitome of type of guy cliche you add the deadline - so here's hoping for another 1st Rd pick +.

 

[lilidk]

This contract makes Bert very trade-able at the TDL. 1st round return here we come!

If he stayed healthy.
He gets more than he should. Why will it help to get good return for him?

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

If he stayed healthy.
He gets more than he should. Why will it help to get good return for him?

He's signed to a 2 year deal that makes him an unrestricted free agent when it's done. Bertuzzi is good but if we can get a Tomas Tatar or Anthony Mantha level return for the guy I'm jumping all over that. From the looks of it by the time the Wings are a playoff team again Bertuzzi is 30+ years old so we might as well see how he does for us this year and either trade him at the 2022 TDL or 2023 TDL.

 

[Shaman464]

If he stayed healthy.
He gets more than he should. Why will it help to get good return for him?

Salary retention. Detroit could eat a half that salary pretty easily. So he's a now only a ~2.5 million dollar player a team is taking on.