What if Tyler Bertuzzi shows up in the playoffs?
Tyler Bertuzzi was signed by the Leafs new general manager, Brad Treliving as an unrestricted free-agent last summer. He is not living up to the $5.5 million salary that the Leafs gave him. Bertuzzi has seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 53 games. His stats are not good enough for a player who plays in the Leafs top six most of the time. He has gone 12 games and 19 games without a goal this season. The Leafs need him to produce more consistently. (All stats from hockey-reference.com)
However, what if Bertuzzi makes up for his regular season by performing well in the playoffs?
He had five goals and five assists for ten points in seven playoff games for the Boston Bruins last season.
The Leafs would love to have him play like that in the 2024 NHL playoffs. His style of play and ability to create havoc in front of the opposition's net is something the Leafs have been lacking.
Should the Leafs finish the season in the same spot they are in now, a first-round series against the Boston Bruins is a big possibility.
Could Bertuzzi help the Leafs beat the team he played so well for in last season's playoffs? I would surely hope so. The Leafs will need him to be his feisty self and be a pest against the Bruins. It will be his job to keep the other team's pests away from the Leafs star players and annoy the goaltender.
Bertuzzi will be looking for a big payday in the summer as an unrestricted free agent (UFA). His play this season is not going to be enough. So, he will need a big playoff performance, which helps the Leafs.