After what was a disappointing first day in free agency for the Toronto Maple Leafs under new GM Brad Treliving, they made a stellar signing on the second day as the club asked UFA Tyler Bertuzzi to a one-year, $5.5 million contract that features full NMC and a limit signing bonus. Maximum $4.725 million.
At around 4:45 p.m., Elliott Friedman tweeted that he had been hearing both sides were working on a one-year deal.
Nothing official yet, but Tyler Bertuzzi and Toronto have been heard working away on a one-year deal.
– Elliott Friedman (FriedgeHNIC) July 2, 2023
And just 10 minutes later, the Toronto Maple Leafs Twitter account confirmed this and tweeted that the club had signed Bertuzzi to a one-year contract.
🖊 We signed Tyler Bertuzzi for one year pic.twitter.com/T8PLhhOqRP
– Toronto Maple Leafs (MapleLeafs) July 2, 2023
Bertuzzi, 28, spent the 2022-23 season split between two teams in the Toronto division, the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins.
He was only able to appear in 50 games during the season, but still managed to score 30 points, eight of which were goals, while also playing his trademark physicality of hockey along with being an absolute pest on the ice against his opponents. .
The Sudbury native has a history of injuries, but if he can get back to his 2021-22 form or at least close to it when he scored 30 goals and 62 points with the Red Wings, that would be a great signing. Maple, even if it’s only for one year.
I’ve had the feeling that Bertuzzi has been rumored to join Toronto either through a trade or free agency for a while now. Former Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas tried to get the winger back in the OHL but was unsuccessful.
Two trade deadlines before it was speculated that Dubas tried to acquire him, but nothing materialized and he stayed with the Red Wings.
While it’s not a multi-year contract for Bertuzzi in Toronto, it’s great to see the Maple Leafs land someone like Bertuzzi and he’s someone the organization has been lacking for a while now. I wonder if he signed a one-year deal to later get cash in a multi-year deal with Toronto out of next season when the cap goes up or he’s considering getting a one-year deal with Toronto and getting the biggest offer he can get in the open market during the 2024 season. .
(stats from Hockey-Reference.com)