Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi was one of the very few NHL players to not get vaccinated and was forced to miss games in Canada given travel restrictions last season. There was talk that he could be traded this off-season as the Wings look to continue building around their young core of Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond and others under the watch of GM Steve Yzerman.
According to Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now, Bertuzzi is a potential trade candidate once again during the upcoming season. Bertuzzi is under contract only for next season with a cap hit of $4.75M. Even though he missed 14 games last season, he still posted career highs in goals with 30 and points with 62.
With the Wings still considered to be in rebuilding mode, if they're where they're expected to be come the trade deadline, at or near the bottom of the Atlantic, Bertuzzi would be a quality acquisition for any playoff team. He'd bring physicality to any teams' lineup, and can get under the skin of opponents without taking many penalties. He only had 47 penalty minutes last season.
Drafted in the second round of the 2013 draft, the 27-year-old was supposed to be part of the first attempt by the Wings to restock their prospect pool along with Dylan Larkin and others. However, after their 25-year playoff streak ended and Ken Holland departed for Edmonton, the architect of the Lightning has decided to tear the Wings down to the studs so to speak and now Bertuzzi could find himself on his way out of the motor city.
