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Ex-Red Wing Tyler Bertuzzi gets honest about playing with struggling rival Blackhawks
Photo credit: https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks/latest-news/blackhawks-bertuzzi-needs-to-be-better
Former Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi gets honest about playing with the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks, his 4th Original Six team he's suited up with.
Former Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi was once thought of as a building block piece for the team, but general manager Steve Yzerman had other ideas.
Not willing to give Bertuzzi a long-term contract, he was traded to the Boston Bruins in March of 2023, ending his tenure with the Red Wings.
Since then, Bertuzzi has played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and signed with the Chicago Blackhawks during the summer, marking his 4th Original 6 team that he's played with during his career.
Right now, things aren't going well in Chicago, as the Blackhawks are ranked dead last in the NHL. But Bertuzzi has been creating chemistry with young Blackhawks star Connor Bedard, something he sees as a positive.
I'm starting to feel better, just coming into games and being better prepared. Our chemistry, me and Connor, just keeps kind of growing as we go. The biggest thing for us, and we talk about it, is being better defensively. The last few games we have, and we need to continue to do that.
Meanwhile, Bedard said that he thinks playing with Bertuzzi is an easy task considering how he plays in front of the net and how his physical presence creates more space for him to work with.
I think [Bertuzzi] is super easy to play with. He's in front of the net, in the corners all game, taking a beating, and that's not an easy job. It gives me a lot of space and I always know where he's going to be.
"I know that I can trust him to be in the right spots, and when he is in front of the net, he wins all those battles. So I kind of just try to throw that into an area and it seems like he's been able to find a way to put it in or create a chance or just cause havoc. So he's a fun guy to play with.
"I know that I can trust him to be in the right spots, and when he is in front of the net, he wins all those battles. So I kind of just try to throw that into an area and it seems like he's been able to find a way to put it in or create a chance or just cause havoc. So he's a fun guy to play with.
So far in his first year in Chicago, Bertuzzi has 28 points (17G, 11A) in 52 games.
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 1 | 160 ANSWERS Ex-Red Wing Tyler Bertuzzi gets honest about playing with struggling rival Blackhawks Do you wish Tyler Bertuzzi was still with the Red Wings? | ||
| Yes | 62 | 38.8 % |
| No | 98 | 61.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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