Tyler Bertuzzi Faces Game-Time Decision, Signs Long-Term Deal with Blackhawks

Tyler Bertuzzi is a game-time decision for Tuesday's matchup against Calgary due to an undisclosed injury. This follows a solid bounce-back 2023-24 campaign where he recorded 21 goals and 22 assists in 80 games for the Maple Leafs, despite managing only one goal in seven playoff contests. This offseason, Bertuzzi signed a four-year, $22 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, providing long-term security for the 29-year-old winger. Historically, Bertuzzi has battled injuries, with a back injury limiting him to 50 games in 2022-23 and a prior season seeing him play only nine games. His career-best 30 goals and 62 points came in the 2021-22 season with Detroit, where he also had 14 power-play points. He has shown 30-goal potential and is expected to play alongside Connor Bedard in Chicago. Fantasy managers are advised to consider him a risky pick due to his injury history, but his potential for a bounce-back season is high, especially given his career-low 7.5 shooting percentage last year. Notably, Bertuzzi has opted not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, which previously impacted his eligibility to play in Canadian games.