Former Maple Leaf forward got call from Chicago de facto captain Nick Foligno to help sway him to sign as UFA. Chance to play with Connor Bedard and a four-year contract were a good fit, too.
Tyler Bertuzzi couldn't have been more honest about how he transitioned from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Chicago Blackhawks as an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Tyler Bertuzzi
USA Today Network
"Chicago wasn’t really on my radar and then the day before free agency, Nick Foligno called me and said, 'You know they’re a little bit interested' and I was obviously excited about that and then kind of things went on from there."
Bertuzzi signed a four-year, $22 million contract ($5.5 million AAV) with the Blackhawks to launch Chicago's flurry on the opening day of free agency, when general manager Kyle Davidson and his staff secured eight UFAs.
Nick Foligno likes to talk.
Foligno, the Blackhawks gregarious 36-year-old de facto captain, helped work the phone and grease the chute while Davidson reached out to Bertuzzi and his agent Todd Reynolds. There's a nickel-plated Northern Ontario connection here: Foligno and his family — including his dad, former NHL forward Mike – are from Sudbury. So are Bertuzzi and Davidson.
"I grew up in Sudbury and played for the Copper Cliff Redmen (association) and they had the Blackhawks logo," Bertuzzi said. "So it's kind of full-circle." See Bertuzzi in the following video.
Chance to Play Top-6 Minutes with Connor Bedard
The Redmen are now the Reds. And the Sudbury sentiment isn't really what brought Bertuzzi to the Blackhawks.
The gritty 29-year-old Bertuzzi will be able to play his assertive, high-energy game in a top-6 forward slot every night on rebuilding, but much improved Chicago. After scoring 21 goals and 43 point last season with Toronto, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound winger will be in line for more ice time, and potentially flanking Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard.
"Myself as a player, hopefully, I can bring some energy coming here and I’m excited for a new opportunity and it’s exciting for me an my family," Bertuzzi said.
And as for skating with Bedard?
"Obviously he’s a special player," Bertuzzi said. "What I can can bring is to get in on the the forecheck, bring that energy and try to create that space playing with him or whoever it might be. It’s not going to differentiate my game." See following video.
Bertuzzi spent his first six seasons with the Detroit Red Wings before they traded him at the deadline to Boston in March 2023; his contract was set to expire that summer. Foligno, along with Blackhawks winger Taylor Hall, also were on that Bruins team.
Bertuzzi ended up signing a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Leafs for 2023-24. He averaged 16:03 in ice time per game for a vaunted Toronto team that once again fell in the opening playoff round.
Bertuzzi got a better, longer deal with the Blackhawks that fits the stage of his career and the needs of his family. Davidson has leaned toward short contracts, but said a four-year deal was needed to secure the forward.
"The ability to play in the top-6 and help drive offense is something we see value in," Davidson said of Bertuzzi and fellow free-agent winger addition Teuvo Teravainen. "Whether it's with Connor, on a second line, wherever Luke (coach Richardson) wants to play them, I believe there are options to have those guys play with good players in the top-6.
"Tyler has shown he can play with some really good forwards and complement more skilled players, so there's a lot of versatility there." See Davidson in the following video.
Bertuzzi likes that he's settling in for four seasons with the Blackhawks, as they've accelerated their rebound around Bedard and other young stars with a batch of veterans.
"I think it's going to allow me to just play more freely and do my thing and worry about hockey and focus on hockey," Bertuzzi said. "Just go out every night and work as hard as I can... no background noise or whatever about where I'm going to sign or where I'm going to be next year. I'm just going to go out there and work."
And Bertuzzi hopes the Blackhawks will be back in the playoff picture as his contract progresses.
"It takes some time, but every year you just want to go better and better and better," he said.
