Tyler Bertuzzi reveals former Maple Leafs winger influenced his decision to sign with Chicago Blackhawks

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Jul 05, 2024 17:23 GMT

Moving away from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tyler Bertuzzi will be seen in the Chicago Blackhawks lineup now. He has changed two teams in the last two seasons, first the Boston Bruins and second the Maple Leafs.

In a recent interview with Chicago Hockey Now, Tyler Bertuzzi disclosed that a call from former Maple Leafs winger Nick Foligno influenced his decision to join the Chicago Blackhawks. This unexpected twist came to light when Blackhawks insider Charlie Roumeliotis tweeted,

"Tyler Bertuzzi said 'Chicago wasn't really on my radar' going into NHL free agency, but Nick Foligno called him to tell him the Blackhawks were interested in him and things developed from there. #Blackhawks."

Bertuzzi elaborated on the unexpected call, explaining that he wasn’t initially considering Chicago as a potential destination.

“I kind of went through the same thing with Detroit, a younger group. It was the perfect place for (my family) right now,” Bertuzzi stated.

The Blackhawks have been active in free agency, also reaching agreements with"

• Goaltender Laurent Brossoit ($6.6 million, two years),
• Defensemen T.J. Brodie ($7.5 million, two years) and
• Defensemen Alec Martinez ($4 million, one year),
• Veteran forwards Pat Maroon ($1.3 million, one year) and
• Craig Smith ($1 million, one year).
• Re-signed Joey Anderson to a $1.6 million, two-year contract.

This strategic acquisition spree aims to support the development of young star Connor Bedard, who had a promising rookie season with 22 goals and 39 assists. Despite Bedard’s contributions, the Blackhawks were the lowest-scoring team in the league.

Chicago Blackhawks sign Tyler Bertuzzi to a four-year, $5.5 million contract

The Chicago Blackhawks signed Tyler Bertuzzi to a four-year deal worth $5.5 million per year on Monday. General Manager Kyle Davidson praised Bertuzzi's competitive spirit and steady offensive skills.

“Tyler is a fantastic competitor who brings energy every night,” Davidson said (via NHL.com). “He has enjoyed consistent offensive success throughout his career and we look forward to watching Tyler to continue to produce at the high level he’s shown he is capable of.”

Last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Bertuzzi scored 21 goals and had 22 assists in 80 games. In the playoffs, he added one goal and three assists in seven games.

In his time in the NHL, Bertuzzi has played 406 regular season games for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, and Toronto, totaling 261 points. He's also appeared in 14 playoff games, scoring 14 points. Bertuzzi, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound forward from Sudbury, Ont., was drafted by Detroit in 2013. He represented Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship, where they won silver.