Forward Tyler Bertuzzi has been largely unreliable since the 2020–21 NHL season began, partly because of his difficulty to maintain his health for the full season. Only 127 of the 220 regular season games that Bertuzzi might have played for the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings were actually completed.
Bertuzzi signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the offseason of last year after failing to secure a multiyear contract. Bertuzzi arrived in Toronto with the grit the Maple Leafs were lusting for over the offseason, but he struggled to live up to his expectations in terms of goals scored, managing just six goals and twenty-one points in his first fifty games.
Given that Toronto has once again fallen short of the team’s high postseason expectations, the NBA as a whole believes that significant roster changes will occur this summer. While there have been speculations of the “Core Four” being broken apart in the past, the present rumors seem to be far more credible than the rumors from previous years.
Aside from Bertuzzi’s impending unrestricted free agency, the Maple Leafs still need to resolve their goaltender dilemma, locate a head coach, and assemble a strong defensive core. If Bertuzzi is looking to sign a multiyear deal this summer, he could have to accept a lower AAV than anticipated unless Toronto is able to clear more salary space in the course of their anticipated busy offseason.
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