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BERTUZZI – RISK, REWARD OR BOTH?
Detroit Red Wings General Manager, Ken Holland is clearly one of the best in the business. That being said, in order to be a successful NHL GM you have to have an owner that is willing to spend the money to make the GM job that much easier and make most options available. The Red Wings as an organization have been a team dedicated to winning for almost 2 decades and owner, Mike Illitch has so often given Holland the green light at past trade deadlines to go out and attempt to obtain those final pieces of the Wings puzzle to make yet another strong playoff run. You really have to credit Holland. When the Wings have a glaring need he is more then willing to take the necessary risk/s to fill the holes. His latest acquisition at this year’s trade deadline was certainly a risk but with tons of potential to be a reward. Red Wings, say hello to power forward, Todd Bertuzzi.
Sadly, ex Vancouver Canuck, Todd Bertuzzi will always be remembered as more infamous than famous due to his horrific blindside hit to the head of ex-Colorado player Steve Moore a few years ago that drew a 17-month suspension. So what’s the perfect remedy? Bring him to Hockeytown – The place that forgives – The place that forgets. Well, maybe not entirely. But what’s the perfect cure for a player trying to bring back a career that at one time looked promising above promising? Bring him to a winner. Detroit is just that.
It’s no big secret. The Red Wings are having a fabulous season but even one of the best teams in the NHL is not without flaws. Known as primarily a team of finesse with good skaters, strong depth, good passers and strong special teams each and every year, Detroit has often underachieved when its’ mattered the most – The Stanley Cup Playoffs. This season, the general thought around Detroit is that although the Wings are a better team then people perhaps expected, they are very much undersized and don’t have enough physical players that can mix it up…something you have got to have in playoff hockey. One tremendous need for this hockey team was a strong, physical power forward that can not only mix it up, but who can also give you a bit of goal scoring and sniper ability to help fit right into what the Red Wings do. Bertuzzi used to be that kind of player but injuries have recently sidelined him (herniated disc issues as well as back surgery). He has played just 7 games this season for the Florida Panthers…a place he was obviously more then happy to get out of. The Panthers acquired forward Shawn Matthias and up to 2 conditional draft picks in the deal. Red Wings officials said they hope to have Bertuzzi in the lineup by the end of March but again, credit has to go to Ken Holland. Not only did he bring in what this team desperately needed but he did it without giving up any major pieces of his hockey team to do it but just the fact that Holland made sure to base the draft choices on the availability of Bertuzzi (should his health hold out) is what makes the deal worth the risk for Detroit.
As a team, the Wings were reportedly excited about Bertuzzi’s arrival but no one was more excited than Hall of Famer, D – Chris Chelios who played against Bertuzzi in many meaningful games when Bertuzzi suited up for Vancouver in the past. The 2 were often pitted against each other and to Chelios it was clearly a match-up from hell. Word is the Wings are welcoming Bertuzzi with open arms and they’ve even reportedly given him Steve Yzerman’s old locker, next to Henrik Zetterberg’s. Some people may not be too happy with that when they hear about it (if they haven’t already) but the rewards of picking up a player of this caliber is again, more then worth such risks.
Bertuzzi is now practicing with the Red Wings and claims to be doing great. That’s excellent news for Detroit who should really benefit from what he can bring to the table. Bertuzzi said he appreciated having a chance to come to Hockeytown. “It’s good to come in here, get a good skate in and meet the guys and get comfortable. I’m excited. All the credit goes to the team to get in this spot (in the standings). I’m hoping to come in and find a spot.†If Bertuzzi is the power forward of old, it won’t be hard to find him a spot on this team and it may not be too hard to find room on Lord Stanley’s Cup for his name either but that’s jumping the gun. We have to face it…a lot must go right for that to happen this time around. That being said, Detroit has taken the correct risk in my opinion.
Red Wings Head Coach, Mike Babcock has certainly done a tremendous job this season. Say hello to the possibilities of getting that much better for the playoff run. All signs point to Bertuzzi being available by the end of March but he’s already impressed the Wings with his solid work ethic in practice. According to Babcock, “We knew he’d go on the ice, but I thought he’d be out there for a few minutes and be gone. I was surprised he hung around and got involved in the drills where you get bumped. I told him, ‘You don’t have to impress us today. You impressed already before, and that’s why you’re here.’” Bertuzzi acknowledged that he can’t afford to rush himself. “I can’t be too eager and I don’t want to mess things up,” he said. Can he mess things up though? Can this team be messed up? Face it…the Red Wings are a machine in the regular season. Unfortunately when the tide turns and when the regular season makes its way into the playoffs and the second season, there is only ever one team left standing. The possibilities of that one team being our Wings this year have gotten a whole lot better.
With Nashville’s acquisition of Peter Forsberg the week earlier, Detroit was forced to do something big. They certainly did. Will this move now put Detroit over the top in the West? Is it now set in stone that they can top Anaheim, Dallas, San Jose and Nashville when it will matter the most?? Time will tell but I couldn’t be happier about Bertuzzi joining our high powered Red Wings. Again, it’s a risk Ken Holland had to take, but it’s a risk where we all could reap the rewards in the end! Isn’t that what it’s all about? Go get em, Todd!!! TIME TO RATTLE SOME CHAINS!
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