Like the Bruins a year ago, the Maple Leafs won’t have enough cap space to bring back Tyler Bertuzzi for a second season.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Bertuzzi will head elsewhere. He tweeted:
“Tyler Bertuzzi won’t be returning to the Maple Leafs. His value has out priced Toronto. He will land a deal elsewhere in the 4 year and over $5 mil per territory.”
NHL free agency opens Monday. Boston figures to at least inquire about bringing Bertuzzi back.
Bertuzzi was a good fit in Boston after the Bruins acquired him from Detroit at the trade deadline. He was expected to be one of the more sought-after free agents last summer and the Bruins had almost no cap space. By the time it was clear that a greater market for Bertuzzi wasn’t going to develop, the Bruins had spent what little cap space they had elsewhere.
Bertuzzi signed a one-year deal for $5.5 million with Toronto in hopes that he’d get more a year later when the NHL’s salary cap expanded. After a slow start, Bertuzzi had a solid, but unspectacular year in Toronto (21 goals, 22 assists) as he heads into free agency again. As Dreger suggested, he’s likely to command a mid-tier salary.
He showed excellent chemistry with David Pastrnak during his brief stint in Boston and was very good offensively in the playoffs.
The Bruins were always clear that they liked him and were disappointed not to be able to keep him. Now Boston has ample cap space and needs top six forwards. Bertuzzi could be an effective replacement for Jake DeBrusk if he signs elsewhere as expected.
But he’s not the only player, who’d fit Boston’s need for an offensive forward and might not be their first choice. The Bruins are expected to sign at least one center and at least one other top-nine forward.
