Tyler Bertuzzi
ON-ICE VALUE
Top-Six Forward
STRENGTHS
Nose for the Net: Bertuzzi knows how his bread is buttered. He drives to the dirty areas and has a great knack for finding loose pucks in tight. Though he isn’t the most imposing forward (6’1”, 199 lbs), he makes life difficult on defenders through sheer will and consistency. He simply won’t stop crashing the net, and that heaping serving of meat and potatoes wears on you.
Grit: He’s not exactly a wrecking ball, but he does finish his hits and lean on you in the trenches. There’s a real element of sandpaper to his game, and his ability to draw the opposition’s attention through physicality opens up the ice for his linemates. He’s a skilled player’s best friend.
Board Play: In addition to that physical dimension, Bertuzzi is just very effective at locating and fishing out pucks along the wall. He has the active stick, keen understanding of leverage and vision required to create quick-strike opportunities from scramble situations.
WEAKNESSES
Skating: By the modern game’s standards, Bertuzzi is a poor skater—especially in the top six. He can keep up once he reaches his top end, but his acceleration isn’t great. Moreover, he doesn’t possess the herky-jerky movement to evade defenders either. This limits his offensive impact.
Tunnel Vision: While he generally sees the game well, he is prone to the occasional gaffe because he won’t switch off his initial decision. He’ll get sucked into a certain play and will die on that hill. Thankfully, such blunders usually knock some sense into him.
