Bert: A Wing next season?

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

He better be re-signed! He's exactly what the Wings have been missing. The guy is a phenemonal hockey player. Big, tough as hell, great hands, drives to the net...etc. He's great and I've been really impressed with his play thus far. He'll only get better in the playoffs.

Also, he rarely ever smiles. I don't think that it means that he doesn't like it here. Why else would he constantly say that he loves it here? I just think that he's not an overly excited player. Everytime I see him on the bench im like..oh my god..Todd smile! hahaha but then I realize that's just him.

[interminded 1]

Bert is dark and disturbed.

And a good hockey player.

What more do you want ?

He's the coolest.

[drwscc 212]

Bert and Calder NEED to be resigned. I haven't seen the level of physical play they bring in a while. It makes the games much more fun to watch when the Wings are dishing out punishment, instead of just taking it.

[swedishseven 9]

if he plays for the wings the way he played for vancouver a few years ago,i would love to see him stay in a wings jersey.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I know a lot of people are saying that it all depends on the playoffs, and I agree that will have a major impact on Bert's status with the Wings after this year. I would love to have him stay. With how strong he is with puck, his physical play, and to top it off the ability to score, he is a tremendous asset.

Unfortunately, if the Wings win it all this season, I don't see him staying.

Sidenote: Atleast Kenny has the right idea with the direction of this team. He's done a great job this season addressing his team's needs, and win or lose in the playoffs, I think he'll continue the trend he started this year.

Edited April 5, 2007 by Never Forget Mac #25

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

im telling you what...we need to resign both bert and calder...calder before bert...but yeat...please please please sign them.

[russianswede919293 95]

I would love to have Bert back but only for the right price. I think that re-signing Datsyuk is a higher priority than Bert right now and Schneider is somebody I would love to have back. So I would say that if the money is right after bringing those 2 guys back, AND it leaves enough room to re-sign Z when he is a UFA then 100%.

[Covenant 0]

Calder is just a hard working dude, not really "physical" per se. Yeah yeah, he did check that dude off the puck and score last game as a result.. but Bertuzzi is VERY physical. Love what both of them bring, but imagine Pavel signing for $5.5-$6M, someone will have to go. I know Bobbert's $3.9M will be gone, and the cap will rise slightly.. but .. Hopefully Kenny can work his mojo and retain all three!!

[donfishmaster 62]

I believe Bertuzzi is one of the few players whose presence requires the opponent to change their game plan so they can react to him. Rewatch the last couple of first-round debacles we've had and it was because WE weren't playing our game, we were responding to the OPPONENT'S style of play. Amazing, given that the Wings had the President's Cup in hand, but that's what happened.

We MUST resign Datsyuk and Bertuzzi. Come one, Datyuk stunk in the playoffs last year because he was coming off/still affected by an injury. I believe prior to that he wasn't ready mentally to step up to the challenge. He WILL be there this year.

So, if we dump Maltby & Lang, and if Chelios takes a cut, can we swing keeping Dats and Bert? Keeping Calder would be great but not as critical IMO.

[eva unit zero 271]

Bertuzzi for the right price is ok.

If the money is similar per year, though, I'd rather Smyth long term than Bert short.

[Inultus 12]

Well if he is truly playing for a Cup then he shouldn't mind taking a little pay cut if he re-signs.

[arin 0]

I'd love to have Bert back as much as the next guy, but you guys gotta think about the 2nd round conditional pick that Florida will get if we resign. If there's no free agents/trades that cant be done to fill Berts role, then sign him for sure. But, we gotta look at other options to possibly keep the 2nd rounder. We seem to do pretty good with our 2nd rounders, anyways.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

Well if he is truly playing for a Cup then he shouldn't mind taking a little pay cut if he re-signs.

I think he understands that he isn't #1 on this team like in FLA and even VAN. He knows that production gets him the $ and that health is a concern. I expect around $3m / season. And I am comfortable with that number considering he is the grit of the team and even at 85-95% he knocks players out of games and scores goals driving to the net.

[wingsin4 0]

Calder is just a hard working dude, not really "physical" per se. Yeah yeah, he did check that dude off the puck and score last game as a result.. but Bertuzzi is VERY physical. Love what both of them bring, but imagine Pavel signing for $5.5-$6M, someone will have to go. I know Bobbert's $3.9M will be gone, and the cap will rise slightly.. but .. Hopefully Kenny can work his mojo and retain all three!!

Have they said what the cap will be next season yet?

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I think it depends a lot on who is staying next year and for how much. Lang, Datsyuk, Maltby.

And to a lesser degree, how he performs in the playoffs. Even if he doesn't do that well, I don't know that it would be a dealbreaker from Holland's perspective since he's hardly played at all this season and just joined the team.

I definitely want Calder back, though not at his current $2.95 million.

I think he understands that he isn't #1 on this team like in FLA and even VAN. He knows that production gets him the $ and that health is a concern. I expect around $3m / season. And I am comfortable with that number considering he is the grit of the team and even at 85-95% he knocks players out of games and scores goals driving to the net.

It's got to be somewhat of a relief for him not to be THE guy on a team.

Hopefully taking the spotlight off him a little will allow him to get his game back.

[arnoldbuck 0]

I could very well see Bertuzzi being our leading scorer in the playoffs

I see this depending On Zettas return and how dominating he is. We all saw him last year in our short playoff stint. And this early spring he was even better. That being said, it may take some time for him to get back into that mode after he returns.

I have no idea how Bert feels about being in Detroit. I dont like the guy, but I do respect him. He is on my team now so I am going to cheer for him. If he has a solid playoffs, then yeah I would be down for signign him again. Though I do wonder, with a shday passed few years, will he command another $5 million +.? Or is that going to drop?

Edit: This is one season, where I am Very happy with the look of our lineup. I am really curious to see what Kenny can manage in the off-season to keep this group in tact.

Edited April 5, 2007 by arnoldbuck

[wingslogo19 281]

Please Kenny sign Calder and Bert both

[Copenhagen848 58]

I believe Bertuzzi is one of the few players whose presence requires the opponent to change their game plan so they can react to him.

I agree 100%. The opposition always acts a little sheepish when he's out there, they are afraid of the Bertuzzi flavored freight train.

Edited April 5, 2007 by Copenhagen848

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Yes Please. Trade Hudler , Re-sign Bert and Calder , Sign Smyth

Zetter-Datsyuk-Homer

Bertuzzi-Lang-Smyth

Calder-Filpula-Cleary

Malts-Drapes-Franzen

Can you say domination ??

[Viperar 16]

Yes Please. Trade Hudler , Re-sign Bert and Calder , Sign Smyth

Zetter-Datsyuk-Homer

Bertuzzi-Lang-Smyth

Calder-Filpula-Cleary

Malts-Drapes-Franzen

Can you say domination ??

trade hudler? lol...

[Chase 0]

Yes Please. Trade Hudler , Re-sign Bert and Calder , Sign Smyth

Zetter-Datsyuk-Homer

Bertuzzi-Lang-Smyth

Calder-Filpula-Cleary

Malts-Drapes-Franzen

Can you say domination ??

Trade Rex? Thats interesting.

But anyway, I see Bert staying next year. He seems to like it here so far, and as we all know Kenny will get it done (the contract).

Edited April 5, 2007 by Chase

[Flip-check 6]

Why else would he constantly say that he loves it here? I just think that he's not an overly excited player. Everytime I see him on the bench im like..oh my god..Todd smile! hahaha but then I realize that's just him.

He always looks so stone-cold serious, I know! I can't imagine being so purse-lipped, but yeah.

He made it into my av simply for that fact. And even then, it's a barely perceptible little upturn of the mouth as it is.

EDIT: Also, no trading Rex. Ever. That little guy is going to do wonders for us, you just watch! And he will make that goal-scoring face until the day he dies.... or finally meets a lady he "really likes"

Edited April 5, 2007 by Flip-check

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

trade hudler? lol...

Well , its either keep Hudler as the 13th forward or trade him.

Plus smyth>Hudler

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

I, for one, heartily approval of The Scowl. The only time the Bertuzzi smiles is after he flattens some poor schmuck into oblivion.

[Aris 0]

Lang and Maltby will almost certainly be gone this offseason, that's about 5.2 million dollars in cap room right there. If Schneider or Markov don't resign on top of that it opens up another 3.3 or 2.5 million on top of that. Factor in the expanding salary cap (somewhere between 2 to 3.5 million dollars) and we have a theoretical extra 9.7 - 12 million dollars to spend this offseason. I can't imagine why we would not resign Bertuzzi, Calder and Datsyuk with this bounty. We're rich, bi-atch.

Edited April 6, 2007 by Aris