The Leafs having an issue with one of their new forwards, per Insider
Tyler Bertuzzi was always a player that the Toronto Maple Leafs had on their radar, even dating back to when Kyle Dubas ran the team, so when Brad Treliving brought him in this summer, the excitement was instantaneous. He brought about so many different intangibles that the Maple Leafs either wanted or desperately needed to push them over the edge.
After scoring 30 goals and 62 points in just 68 games in 2021-22, he struggled out of the gates in 2022-23 before he was eventually shipped off to Boston. He scored 14 points in 29 games for Detroit but 16 points in 21 games for Boston, while bringing about a different level of grit, toughness, and snarl to an otherwise perfect lineup.
Toronto came knocking this summer and he was more than happy to sign a one-year deal with the club. Big things were expected from the former 2nd round pick but his 2023-24 season has been mid at best. He has 2 goals and 3 points in 10 games and is averaging just 15:26 TOI, which is his lowest total since his sophomore season.
Bertuzzi was benched by Sheldon Keefe in the final 8.5 minutes of regulation and overtime against his former club last night. Elliotte Friedman touched on that earlier today, citing that the Maple Leafs are finding it very hard to fit him in their schemes:
"This Bertuzzi thing, he didn't play the last 8 1/2 mins of regulation plus the overtime, he was demoted to the 4th line... They're really having trouble making him fit"
Bertuzzi has only played more than 17 minutes twice this season, something he was doing with regularity last year with both the Red Wings and the Bruins. Placed on the top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner to start the year, Bertuzzi was looked upon as an upgrade over the departing Micheal Bunting. However, just 6 or 7 games into the season, he was shifted down to the 2nd line, as he had been unable to produce on the top line. Obviously, we all know where he finished last night - stapled to the bench.
It also doesn't help his case after Brad Marchand was seen skating around the Maple Leafs bench after his collision with Timothy Liljegren and Bertuzzi was one of the many players wearing the Blue and White who wasn't even acknowledging his chirps. In fact, Bertuzzi was laughing. Bertuzzi's game is best when he's chirping, being aggressive, and playing like a pest but when push came to shove last night, he shied away against hist former teammates.
Keefe even mentioned that Bertuzzi needs to simplify his game and because he failed to do so, other players in the lineup took his spot. It's a long season and there's plenty of time to adjust, but so far the Leafs are having issues in finding the right fit for the 28-year-old, who was arguably their biggest acquisition this summer.
One has to wonder how long the Leafs will be comfortable paying his $5.5M salary if he can't find his groove and begin to produce.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 3 | 471 ANSWERS The Leafs having an issue with one of their new forwards, per Insider Will Tyler Bertuzzi play out the whole season in Toronto? | ||
| Yes | 171 | 36.3 % |
| No | 300 | 63.7 % |
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