The Best Potential Landing Spots for Free-Agent Forward Tyler Bertuzzi

The 2023 NHL free-agent class is lacking in star power and big names, but there are still some good players to be had. Tyler Bertuzzi is near the top of that list, and he should have plenty of potential suitors if he ends up reaching the open market this summer.

Bertuzzi is coming off a bit of a down year in which he scored only eight goals with 22 assists in 50 games split between the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins. Injuries limited him his production, as did a significant drop in his shooting percentage.

In the four years prior to the 2022-23 season, Bertuzzi was a 14 percent shooter for his career and had scored 77 goals in 221 regular-season games. That four-year span averages out to a 28-goal pace per 82 games, and he was coming off a career-high 30-goal performance in 2021-22 despite playing in only 68 games.

A fresh start, a fully healthy season and a change in his shooting percentage would make Bertuzzi a strong bounce-back candidate next season.

The Boston Bruins acquired him from Detroit before the NHL trade deadline in the hope that he could be one of the final pieces of a Stanley Cup puzzle. That did not work out as planned for the team, although Bertuzzi played well and seemed like a good fit.

While the Bruins probably would like to re-sign Bertuzzi, there has been no indication that the two sides have had substantial contract talks, and the team has a significant cap crunch to navigate. For that reason, a return to Boston seems unlikely.

So, let's take a look at teams that could be a potential fit for Bertuzzi.

Among the factors we considered are teams that are looking to contend for a playoff spot this season and have a need for an impact scorer while also having the salary-cap flexibility to land Bertuzzi—one of the top free agents on the market this summer.

Detroit Red Wings

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DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 21: Tyler Bertuzzi #59 of the Detroit Red Wings turns up ice in front of Ryan Suter #20 of the Dallas Stars during the first period of an NHL game at Little Caesars Arena on January 21, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. Dallas defeated Detroit 5-4 in O.T. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Detroit Red Wings have missed the playoffs seven years in a row and aren't getting any closer to the postseason. That should be starting to cast some doubt on general manager Steve Yzerman's rebuild. They need to start winning, and they need to do so now.

Bertuzzi had a great deal of success during his six-plus years in Detroit. He played well with both Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, and the Red Wings could certainly use him back in their top-six forward group.

The Red Wings are projected to have more than $30 million in salary-cap space this offseason with 15 players already under contract. They also have a few veteran forwards (Pius Suter, Alex Chiasson and Adam Erne) set to become unrestricted free agents.

The Red Wings have money to burn, have a need at forward and have a familiarity with Bertuzzi. He's probably the best combination of production, skill and age on the free-agent market.

Bertuzzi is still only 28 years old, so he should be able to give a team 20 goals and close to 50 points if he stays healthy. They aren't many players his age on the free-agent market who can produce at that level.

If the Red Wings are able to bring Bertuzzi back, it would be the ultimate win-win situation. They cashed in on him at the trade deadline and landed a conditional 2024 first-round pick plus a 2025 fourth-round pick perhaps only to loan him out for a few months.

Dallas Stars

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DALLAS, TEXAS - MAY 04: Joe Pavelski #16 of the Dallas Stars celebrates after scoring a goal against Philipp Grubauer #31 of the Seattle Kraken in the second period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center on May 04, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

The Dallas Stars were briefly linked to Bertuzzi ahead of the trade deadline. If they were interested in him then, it would stand to reason that they still would be now, especially since the only cost would be a contract and salary-cap space instead of having to give up assets in a trade.

Instead of landing Bertuzzi, the Stars ended up acquiring Max Domi and Evgenii Dadonov in a pair of smaller trades. Both of those players are set to be unrestricted free agents this offseason, leaving the Stars with some holes to fill in their forward group.

Bertuzzi would be a nice fit within their core.

The Stars are already a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and are set up for long-term success. Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston, Mason Marchment, Miro Heiskanen and Jake Oettinger are a championship-caliber core of young players either in their prime or just entering it, while they also still have outstanding veterans like Joe Pavelski, Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn at the top of the lineup.

Adding a player like Bertuzzi to be a complementary piece would give the Stars one of the deepest forward units in the league and help keep them at the top of the Western Conference.

Pittsburgh Penguins

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PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 06: Jeff Carter #77 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his goal with teammates during the third period against the Minnesota Wild at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 6, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)

After missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins need some sort of a shakeup. They also need some scoring depth to complement their top-line stars.

The Penguins are also projected to have roughly $20 million in cap space this offseason and might have to replace a prominent top-six forward in Jason Zucker if they don't re-sign him.

Bertuzzi could help with all of that. He is a top-six winger who could either serve as a strong replacement for Zucker or extend the lineup and balance out the scoring depth.

When both Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin were off the ice during 5-on-5 play this past season, the Penguins were outscored 71-49. That was one of the worst marks that they've had during the careers of Crosby and Malkin, and it helped sink their season.

The Penguins eventually have to start looking toward the future and begin a serious rebuild, but that time is not now. As long as Crosby and Malkin are still playing at a high level and are as productive as they were this past season, the Penguins owe it to them to try to win.

Toronto Maple Leafs

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TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 04: The Toronto Maple Leafs celebrate scoring against the Florida Panthers in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on May 04, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Michael Chisholm/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs for the first time in nearly 20 years, but they are still on the verge of yet another postseason disappointment. Unless they win four games in a row against the Florida Panthers, they're going to be left picking up the pieces and trying to fix their issues this offseason.

Perhaps Bertuzzi could help.

As currently constructed, he would be a tough fit for the Maple Leafs under the salary cap, as they're projected to have less than $7.5 million in cap space. However, a significant change elsewhere on the roster could clear up cap space for a free agent like Bertuzzi and create a spot in the lineup, too.

Even if the Maple Leafs don't go in that direction, they could still use some additional scoring depth behind their top players.

The Maple Leafs focus on their defense and goaltending every offseason. While those have been problems at times, they have also had some issues with their offense going cold or not having enough scoring depth. That never seems to get adequately addressed.

Whether they trade a core player or run it back with that group again, they need more scoring punch up front.

Columbus Blue Jackets

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COLUMBUS, OHIO - APRIL 01: Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen looks on during the second period against the Florida Panthers at Nationwide Arena on April 01, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

The Columbus Blue Jackets struggled this season, but you can never count them out from doing something significant with their roster.

A few years ago, they went all-in at the trade deadline and acquired Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel even though they were not position to make the playoffs at the time. This past summer, they signed the biggest free agent on the market when they landed Johnny Gaudreau from the Calgary Flames.

The Blue Jackets aren't afraid to swing for the fences. They also seem to be determined to try to win right now without wanting to kick the can down the road any further.

The Blue Jackets are currently projected to have $16.8 million in cap space this summer thanks in large part to a young roster that has nine players under contract for next season at under $2 million. They should have enough money to add Bertuzzi to that mix.

Put Bertuzzi into a lineup that already has Patrik Laine and Gaudreau up front, with the potential for another impact player at the top of the 2023 NHL draft, and the Blue Jackets could quickly become interesting. They still would need to do something about their defense and their center depth, but you should not count them out as a wild card in the free-agent market, especially for a player as good as Bertuzzi.

All salary-cap info via CapFriendly.