Should the Toronto Maple Leafs sign TJ Brodie or Tyler Bertuzzi if they are bought out?

The Chicago Blackhawks signed two former Toronto Maple Leafs last offseason: Tyler Bertuzzi and TJ Brodie.

Brodie, a staple beside Morgan Rielly for years, had his worst season in the blue and white by a mile before signing for two years at a $3.75M AAV. He completely fell out of favour with then-head coach Sheldon Keefe, who scratched him during the playoffs.

Bertuzzi, on the other hand, had a very solid season with Toronto, potting 21 goals and 43 points after a brutal start. He had four points in the Leafs seven playoff games, and played mostly with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. He signed a four-year, $22M contract with Chicago last offseason.

And apparently, both could be bought out this offseason. So it begs the question: Should the Leafs explore bringing them back?

Brodie is a clear no

To get the easy one out of the way first, there’s zero reason for Toronto to even think about bringing back Brodie. His last year with the Leafs was bad. And although he was as good as he was during his prime, he’s no longer that same player.

He was getting scratched on a horrid Chicago team last year, being outplayed by guys you’ve never heard of. 

Toronto also doesn’t need another defenceman, even less another defensive specialist who has problems moving the puck. If the Leafs go after a blueliner, it should be someone who threatens offence, not another black hole.

Brodie was a warrior in Toronto and seems like a fantastic human being. But there are other teams that could use him a lot more than the Leafs. Bringing him back just doesn’t make any sense, and hopefully, he finds his footing elsewhere. He has really struggled for the last two years, and securing a full-time contract isn’t a guarantee.

Bertuzzi makes a lot of sense

For years, the Leafs have had the same issue: Secondary scoring. They just can’t find a third or fourth line that poses any threat, opting instead for defensive specialists who aren’t even that great at defending.

If Bertuzzi is brought back, I’d assume it would be to play beside Matthews again. They learned to play with each other by the end of their season together, and Bertuzzi is a guy who can dig pucks free and crash the front of the net. 

While not a “secondary scorer” himself, if he’s put on the top line, he could push someone like Matthew Knies or Bobby McMann down the lineup, hopefully helping create a formidable third line.

With Mitch Marner leaving, and Tavares possibly signing elsewhere, the Leafs need forwards. Rumours are circulating that Brad Treliving wants to part ways with Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf. This means they’d need a significant amount of forward depth in free agency or through trades.

Taking another shot at Bertuzzi, who did end up playing very well here, makes too much sense. He won’t be expensive relative to the few stars that are hitting free agency, making a few million bucks, but he is a certified scorer who can move up and down a lineup.

Buyout season

There are other names out there rumoured to be bought out, including ex-Leafs Pierre Engvall and Justin Holl. Joe Veleno is a name that stands out as a possibility. But no one has had as much impact as Bertuzzi.

There’s no guarantee either guy ends up being bought out—these are just rumours—but the Leafs are going to need to get creative to fill out their forward corps this offseason. Taking a shot at Bertuzzi feels like a no-brainer, so let’s hope he finds himself on the open market.