Re-signing Tyler Bertuzzi would be a great move for the Boston Bruins, but their salary cap situation prevents them from being able to offer the veteran forward what he could probably fetch on the open market when NHL free agency begins Saturday at noon ET.
Therefore, it wasn't too surprising to see reports surface Thursday night that Bertuzzi will test the market this weekend.
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This development doesn't officially close the door on Bertuzzi returning to Boston, where he quickly became a great fit and a productive player after the Original Six club acquired him in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings on March 2.
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But on Saturday every team is able to talk to Bertuzzi, and he should receive significant interest as arguably the top forward available.
Let's not forget that his gritty, power forward-type of play style is something coaches and general managers salivate over, and after watching Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk dominate the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs playing that way, you can bet a lot of teams will be looking for a similar type player this summer. Bertuzzi isn't as good as Tkachuk, but he brings many of the same skills to the ice.
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The Bruins, even after trading Taylor Hall and his $6 million salary cap hit to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, still have just $10.9 million in cap space to fill nine open roster spots. Unless another cap-clearing move (or two) is made, it would seem unlikely that Bertuzzi or defenseman Dmitry Orlov return.
"Yeah, I’ve been pretty honest… I think I have a pretty good understanding of what their marketplace is and where we are in the marketplace," Bruins general manager Don Sweeney told reporters Thursday in Nashville after the 2023 NHL Draft.
"I was honest the other day in terms of a couple in particular, if I make another move that opens things up, you never know. We still have that window for us, but it’s closing, and I understand that. So, if not then as I referenced, we’ll have some younger players that will get a real good opportunity and they should be excited, and we’ll bring in some players that we feel we’ve identified in the same capacities that we had current players."
The Bruins could look to the free agent market for additions, but they'll probably have to go bargain hunting. One such option is veteran left wing Milan Lucic, who, according to multiple reports, is very likely to sign with the B's in free agency.
