The Toronto Maple Leafs made one of the biggest splashes in NHL free agency this year by signing forward Tyler Bertuzzi to a 1-year deal with a $5.5 million AAV.
Bertuzzi’s been a player that many Leaf fans have wanted the Toronto Maple Leafs to acquire for various reasons.
He’s very skilled, he can score, he can fight, and he’s overall a very entertaining player to watch.
Now that the Toronto Maple Leafs have signed him, a big question remains. How does Tyler Bertuzzi do in the blue and white?
Toronto Maple Leafs: Predictions For Tyler Bertuzzi’s First Year
He may very well have his best season ever.
Bertuzzi’s had some unfortunate luck in his career, as he was one of the only good players on some pretty poor Detroit Red Wing teams. And up until last season, when he was a member of the Boston Bruins, he had yet to make the playoffs despite entering the league as a rookie in 2016.
Despite this and having very few quality linemates throughout his time in Detroit, Bertuzzi had some great years.
His best season came in the 2021-22 season, where in 68 games he put up 30 goals, 32 assists, and 62 points. Not too shabby.
Last year, Bertuzzi had a rough regular season, scoring just 8 goals in 50 games in split time between the Red Wings and Bruins. But when the playoffs came around, he turned into a completely different player.
In his first-ever playoff appearance, Bertuzzi was one of the Bruins top players, scoring 5 goals and 10 points in just 7 games.
Bertuzzi has shown he can score on weak teams as well as perform in the playoffs, but I think the Leafs will give him a chance to have his best season ever.
With all due respect to Boston’s team last year, Toronto is the most offensively talented team Bertuzzi has been a part of, and he has never played with someone like Mitch Marner, who is easily one of the top playmakers in the NHL.
For my final prediction, I predict Tyler Bertuzzi will score 33 goals and 35 assists, for 68 total points. He may also face an injury during the season, so I’ll predict he plays 74 games.
Bertuzzi will have a chance to play with elite players, as well as be given a ton of power play time (a place where he produced well in both Boston and Detroit), and that’s why I believe he will have his best season yet this upcoming year.
No matter if my predictions are too high or too low, I am excited to watch him play in a Leafs jersey, and who knows, maybe he exceeds my expectations for him.