Confirmed with Link: Bertuzzi signs two-year deal

[MBH]

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.

Isn't Bert's physicality really, really overrated?
He's not soft. But honestly, he doesn't deal or take a ton of punishment out there.

 

[lilidk]

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.

That's exactly how I think, hopefully he stays healthy

 

[jkutswings]

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.

Because we've seen this movie before. Gritty players in the NHL age like milk.

Tyler Bertuzzi is 26 years old. So he will be 28 at the end of the contract he just signed.

The same age when Holland thought it was smart to sign Abdelkader to a 7 year deal.

Obviously fans think Bert has more potential than Justin. But thus far, comparing a career best of 47 points in 73 games (Bertuzzi) versus 44 points in 71 games (Abdelkader) seems fairly similar to me.

Now I'm not saying that I expect Bert to sign a long term deal in 2023 and then immediately transform into a paperweight. But I am saying that guys who play like Bert tend to drop off sooner and more steeply than guys with other styles of play, and that the Wings should use caution if they end up considering the option of keeping him past this current deal.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

So we’re just going to trade away our good roster players at some point?

This is going to get old

 

[ricky0034]

Because we've seen this movie before. Gritty players in the NHL age like milk.

Tyler Bertuzzi is 26 years old. So he will be 28 at the end of the contract he just signed.

The same age when Holland thought it was smart to sign Abdelkader to a 7 year deal.

Obviously fans think Bert has more potential than Justin. But thus far, comparing a career best of 47 points in 73 games (Bertuzzi) versus 44 points in 71 games (Abdelkader) seems fairly similar to me.

Now I'm not saying that I expect Bert to sign a long term deal in 2023 and then immediately transform into a paperweight. But I am saying that guys who play like Bert tend to drop off sooner and more steeply than guys with other styles of play, and that the Wings should use caution if they end up considering the option of keeping him past this current deal.

also the back thing

even if he bounces back from it and is fine for a while that's not really something that entirely goes away forever, it will always be a long term concern on some level

 

[MBH]

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 disagree somewhat.
I think his IQ is how he makes the most over average skating and maybe slightly above average hands.
He does play in traffic and work the walls, but I don't think he takes a ton of abuse.

And while the surgery is cause for some concern, I wouldn't call it "life-altering."

 

[Gniwder]

2 years?

That's extremely puzzling...He's a UFA after this deal, I really do not understand this at all. Might as well trade him now while he has value, rather than wait until next season to flip him at the deadline.

Yeah, 2 years is a bit strange. I would have done 3yrs or told him to take the QO at $3.5M for one year. He's not gonna get more money in arbitration because he missed the season.

Guessing he played it safe because of the back injury.

 

[Shaman464]

I disagree somewhat.
I think his IQ is how he makes the most over average skating and maybe slightly above average hands.
He does play in traffic and work the walls, but I don't think he takes a ton of abuse.

And while the surgery is cause for some concern, I wouldn't call it "life-altering."

Any surgery involving the back is life altering. It is literally a last resort. Upwards of 40% of people who get back surgery for pain/injury conditions end up with failed back surgery syndrome, which means more back surgery.

 

[GreatGordie9]

Any surgery involving the back is life altering. It is literally a last resort.

I just hope it doesn't come a real problem like Zetterberg's

 

[Ezekial]

I just hope it doesn't come a real problem like Zetterberg's

I wouldn't say not to worry about it being that bad as someone with a bad back I know it could definitely get worse.

But Z before his back surgery from Sochi couldn't even move, so I wouldn't expect it to be that bad.
(Edit meant wouldn't, not would)

 

[deca guard]

 

[GreatGordie9]

I see Carolina signed Brendan Smith to a one year 800K contract

 

[lilidk]

So we’re just going to trade away our good roster players at some point?

This is going to get old

He gave Yzerman hard time last year taking him to arbitration, now he got paid , he got paid MacKinnon money. Is he like 2 times better better than Erne, I don't think so. Yzerman paid him to stay home so he can help the kids, I guess in 2 years this team will compete with or without Bert

 

[Gniwder]

Any surgery involving the back is life altering. It is literally a last resort. Upwards of 40% of people who get back surgery for pain/injury conditions end up with failed back surgery syndrome, which means more back surgery.

I'm pretty sure he had microdiscectomy which has a much higher success rate. Not all back injuries are the same.

Microdisectomy.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

This is a win-win for us.


2 yrs & $/Cap= low risk for team. Low risk for Bert, so he can prove health/productivity & not cost himself future $/term.


If he under-performs upon return we trade (upto 50%) & recoup some decent-good assets. good prospect + 2nd+


If he is fairly healthy/productive, we can sell @50% & have a small bidding war. (1st+ Good Top6F/Top4D projected prospect)


If he goes SuperBert, we sell to the highest bidder @ 50% w/no pressure to sell asap, only to find a great offer, which shouldn't take too long. 2 playoff runs, young-ish, hungry, in-prime etc. 1st+Good C/D prospect+


He probably does get traded, simply because the return offer would outweigh his future impact on the team. So in that sense, I'm ok trading Bert & his questionable back w/unpredictable salary/term demands. We'll miss ya Bert, thanks.


On that note, what's next on our needs shopping list besides a 1C? 1D?



.

 

[kliq]

Isn't Bert's physicality really, really overrated?
He's not soft. But honestly, he doesn't deal or take a ton of punishment out there.

Im not saying his career will be over, but I definitely see regression once he hits 30 and I’d rather another team be overpaying him then us.

 

[Gniwder]

I see Carolina signed Brendan Smith to a one year 800K contract

Serviceable 7D that plays well in the playoffs. That's actually a good signing.

 

[The Real Pastafarian]

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.

Well, I don't really have anything with which to back this up, but I vehemently disagree with the statement bolded above. I think a high hockey IQ, playing well away from the puck to put himself in the right place at the right time, is his biggest asset.

And he's no Justin Abdelkader -- Abdelkader's arms are the size of Bertuzzi's legs, and Abby's legs are the size of Lil Bert's trunk. Bertuzzi is more of an electronic keyboard mover, than a piano mover.

And of course Bertuzzi is much more gifted offensively than Abby. jkutswing's comparison of Abby's best year out of Abby's entire career, versus Bert's best year out of the first third of his career, doesn't take into account that number of seasons, or the fact that most of Abby's goals that year bounced off of Abby's ass or forehead as Datsyuk used Abby as an object -- a mannequin in a Red Wings jersey would have served the same purpose.

I do agree that Bertuzzi goes to the dirty areas and fights for position, but I don't see him taking that much damage. Again, he's smart and avoids a lot of injuries.

And I also agree that Bertuzzi probably wouldn't mind a trade. I think a guy like him can tolerate only so much losing.

Re. better options at wing: I have yet to see those options. Vrana, certainly. Raymond has zero NHL points. Zadina has 37 points in 86 games -- not bad, but not nearly as productive as Bertuzzi, not yet. That's it, one guy who's better, two others that might be better some day, for 4 positions (top 6 wing).

The day we trade Bertuzzi, we become a worse team, unless we get a deal like we got for Mantha, where we get a younger player better than the guy we traded, plus a first round pick.

 

[Revenge of Gru]

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.

I don't think there's any way he extends. That ship sailed last year when Yzerman failed to lock him up long term. I think he is gonna ride it out to UFA and walk for nothing unless Yzerman doubles down on his mistake and trades him which is extremely likely. Yzerman doesn't value players like Bert.

 

[Retire91]

Very tradable contract if he can stay healthy

 

[Oddbob]

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.

Where on earth do you get this opinion from? Pretty sure most of the back to back Cup winning team was Steve's doing.

 

[Oddbob]

I don't think there's any way he extends. That ship sailed last year when Yzerman failed to lock him up long term. I think he is gonna ride it out to UFA and walk for nothing unless Yzerman doubles down on his mistake and trades him which is extremely likely. Yzerman doesn't value players like Bert.

Far from a mistake. Bertuzzi is good not great and is not some major piece that needs a long term deal. He is a secondary piece, not a key piece. People are overdoing how good he is.

 

[FabricDetails]

In the end, this is the expected deal.

Still kind of sucks how this is all unfolding when we think about how he was projecting to be a player that we wanted to be a Red Wing for a long time.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

In the end, this is the expected deal.

Still kind of sucks how this is all unfolding when we think about how he was projecting to be a player that we wanted to be a Red Wing for a long time.

Sure, but also the timing is a blessing in disguise. Imagine if he'd been healthy all year, put up 40pts,then signs a ~ 6y*$5.25+ type dea & then gets injured, has back surgery etc.. Hate to lose Bert, but I can see him having a short career too, unfortunately.

 

[1878rgw]

Obviously fans think Bert has more potential than Justin. But thus far, comparing a career best of 47 points in 73 games (Bertuzzi) versus 44 points in 71 games (Abdelkader) seems fairly similar to me.

Comparing those stats is weird, Abdelkader played on a meh team with Datsyuk and Zetterberg, Bertuzzi plays on the worst NHL team.

Nice he signed and I really hope he stays for the whole contract and longer because I think he could be a big part of the rising Red Wings.