The Free Press’s Helene St. James was among the reporters who engaged in Tyler Bertuzzi’s Zoom call regarding his 1-year, $3.5 million arbitration award, and she noted Bertuzzi’s thoughts on his deal, as well as his preparations for the 20-21 season:
“It’s a little different than anything I’ve ever been through, but it went smoothly and we’re happy we got a deal done,” Bertuzzi said. “There was a lot of talking going on. At the end of the day, we’re happy with a one-year deal. I’m looking forward to the season.”
He may be looking forward for quite a while. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has Jan. 1 as the latest target date to start the 2020-21 season, but the novel coronavirus pandemic may delay that even further. For now, he’s working out and skating with a local group that includes Wings teammates Dylan Larkin, Luke Glendening, Anthony Mantha, Robby Fabbri and Valtteri Filppula. They have not been able to at the practice facility inside Little Caesars Arena.
“We’re all working out together and bonding and we’re all looking forward to coming back,” Bertuzzi said. “We’re skating, playing little games, little scrimmages here and there, trying to keep up that game-feeling.
“It’s very weird. We’d already be in the season. It’s a different feeling. You have to monitor when to work out. Once we know there’s a final date to when the season is going to start, then we can kind of base all of that on that. But it’s very different, for sure.”
Update: Here’s more from the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan:
There’s no disappointment about the arbitration decision, or the fact Bertuzzi and the Wings weren’t able to work out a long-term contract.
“I wouldn’t say disappointed,” Bertuzzi said Wednesday on a Zoom call with reporters. “No, I’m very grateful to get this opportunity and I’m just going to go out and prove myself again this year, like I have been the last few years.”
Bertuzzi, 25, a 2013 second-round draft choice, led the Wings with 21 goals last season — the second consecutive year he scored 21. Bertuzzi also had 27 assists, for a career-high 48 points, while earning a $1.4 million.
Bertuzzi didn’t sound at all frustrated by the give and take during Sunday’s arbitration hearing.
“It was a little different than anything I’ve been through, but it went smoothly and we’re happy we got a deal done and I’m happy to be back,” Bertuzzi said. “It’s something some people will never go through, and some teams don’t go through it, but at the end of the day, I’m playing hockey this year and we’re going to go and try to win some games.”
And even more from 97.1 the Ticket’s Will Burtchfield:
“Whether I sign for five, four, six years, every year you need to perform and work hard and contribute. So even if I signed a six-year deal, I’ll play every game like I’m on a one-year deal,” Bertuzzi said. “I just need to prove every year that I’m a good player and I want to contribute to this team.”
To the Red Wings as presently constructed, Bertuzzi is worth more than $3.5 million. The question is what he’ll be worth when they’re ready to win. He isn’t a first-line forward on a Cup contender; he’s better suited somewhere in the middle six. If he was seeking first-line money in a long-term deal, Yzerman and the Wings were right to hold off.
And if the Wings wanted to pay him like the second- or third-line player they think he’ll become, Bertuzzi was right to bet on himself again. Ultimately, the two sides want the same thing — and Bertuzzi made it clear there’s no ill will.
“We want to win hockey games. We’re here to win,” he said. “It’s nothing personal at all.”
If Bertuzzi takes another step forward next season, Detroit will be happy to reward him. If his game levels out, he might just as soon take the money on the table. For now, Bertuzzi is ready to put business behind him — and attack the opportunity ahead.
“It was a little different than anything I’ve ever been through, but it went smoothly,” Bertuzzi said. “We’re happy that we got a deal done and I’m happy to be back.”
Update #3: One more from MLive’s Ansar Khan:
The Red Wings have two remaining restricted free agents: Anthony Mantha could get a long-term contract worth upwards of $5 million a season and Dmytro Timashov is more likely to sign for one or two years.
Bertuzzi, Mantha and Dylan Larkin are among a handful of players working out and skating together in preparation for a camp that likely will begin two weeks earlier for non-playoff teams than the rest of the league. That still might not be until January.
“We’re working out hard together, skating and playing little games and scrimmages to kind of keep up with game shape,” Bertuzzi said. “It’s very competitive.”
Bertuzzi praised the team’s offseason acquisitions – forwards Bobby Ryan and Vladislav Namestnikov, defensemen Mark Staal, Troy Stecher and Jon Merrill and goaltender Thomas Greiss.
“I love the moves,” he said. “I played with Stecher at the World Championship in the Czech Republic, so I know he’s a good player, good defenseman, two-way guy. Bobby Ryan, veteran guy that’s going to bring a lot of offense. We signed (Sam Gagner) again, we know what he brings. Our team’s obviously a lot better than last year and we’re excited to get back.”
Update #4: Herer’s even more from DetroitRedWings.com’s Josh Berenter:
The Sudbury, Ontario native has returned to Detroit and is safely working out every day with several teammates, including Larkin, Luke Glendening, Anthony Mantha, Robby Fabbri and Valtteri Filppula, along with local players on other NHL clubs.
“We’ve got a good group here in Detroit, skating, working out. We’re all working out together and working hard and bonding as a team, and we’re all looking forward to coming back,” Bertuzzi said. “We see each other every day, we’re talking every day about how we just want to play hockey. I think we’re doing a good job as a team to try and get better.”
And his own deal isn’t the only one Bertuzzi is excited about. He’s thrilled about the free-agent signings that general manager Steve Yzerman has made recently, including forward Bobby Ryan, defenseman Troy Stecher and goaltender Thomas Greiss, among others.
“I love the moves,” Bertuzzi said emphatically. “I played with Stecher at the World Championship in Czech Republic. I know he’s a good player, good defenseman, two-way guy. And Bobby Ryan is a veteran guy who’s going to bring a lot of offense. It’s looking good. Our team’s looking a lot better than last year and we’re excited to get back.”
