Big Berts Small Game

[ttbrunke 0]

Every time I see Bertuzzi I wonder why he is still on the ice with the top lines. He clearly doesn’t play a big mans game anymore. You don’t see him leaning on people to get to the middle with the puck or using his size to create openings. In fact it is getting really frustrating to watch him skate into the zone only to lose it off his stick and leave it behind him, even when he is in open ice. I hope that he is not back next year and think that he should be demoted to the 4th line for a while. Does anyone see what I see? Calder as well has not been very impressive I know he has injury concerns but I expected him to be better than this, I am not impressed with Hollands deadline deals but you have to give him a pass for the good teams he has given us.

[Henkka 0]

Bertuzzi is hurting about the new rules and also the Moore-incident that is affecting him. The old NHL was perfect region for Bert, but the times has changed. Pity.

[Viperar 16]

draperfan might be lurking soon

[SoupGuru 0]

I think Bertuzzi is still trying to find a place on the team. He hasn't hit his stride yet. The team needs help him find his role and help him improve. I always got the impression that our coaches and guys are telling him "Just play your game. We love it. Just do what you do." So he does, only it doesn't mesh very well with the rest of our game and it's frustrating for everyone. I think if we worked on finding a way to modify his style of play to fit in our system, he'd be great. But since it's the playoffs I think our staff has a lot of other things to worry about and can't devote the time necessary to make that happen.

[regwinguofmfan 0]

I like how Bertuzzi looks like a 2 hour old baby wildabeast on his skates.

If you skate by him there is a chance the wind will knock him down.

Actually its pretty pathetic.

He looks awful

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

If we put Yzerman in righ tnow whould he be better than Cleary or Maltby? Cause this is what this thread is about. Putting a rusty player coming off a HUGE injury/surgery and expecting him to be our best physical player.

HE MISSED 7 MONTHS!!! He was able to get in a few games before the end of the season and then got a CONCUSSION. I hope we resign him just so he gets a chance to get closer to 100% to shut all the "he's too soft" nay-sayers mouths next season.

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

I dunno why but I just dont think Bert looks actually happy to be here. I mean hes gonna say he is with the media and such but he just doesnt look like he wants to play within the Wings system

[Mors 201]

This thread seems ridiculous...Bertuzzi missed almost the entire season, and you expect him to come out and be a top player on the team immediately? Zetterberg hasn't exactly been on point since his injury and he only missed a fraction of the time that Bert was out.

[BeeRYCE 2]

All I got to say is... Wait until Saturday.

[ttbrunke 0]

I think Bertuzzi is still trying to find a place on the team. He hasn't hit his stride yet. The team needs help him find his role and help him improve. I always got the impression that our coaches and guys are telling him "Just play your game. We love it. Just do what you do." So he does, only it doesn't mesh very well with the rest of our game and it's frustrating for everyone. I think if we worked on finding a way to modify his style of play to fit in our system, he'd be great. But since it's the playoffs I think our staff has a lot of other things to worry about and can't devote the time necessary to make that happen.

What style fits a big man that can't stay on his skates and can't carry the puck. Maybe Lacrosse would be a better idea for him

[Viperar 16]

I dunno why but I just dont think Bert looks actually happy to be here. I mean hes gonna say he is with the media and such but he just doesnt look like he wants to play within the Wings system

I dont think its that really, I just really think hes that rusty, has a mixed background, and has a lot on his mind. I trust he'll be back to himself by the next season really. I dont think hes just telling the media hes happy cause he has to. While he looks unhappy, thats just his dark look that he carries with him. I think hes fine with the wings to be honest. I get a good vibe, i just dont get a good vibe right now about his rustiness and his ability to shake the demons of past (moore incident)

[OsGOD 3]

He has played on 16 games since missing 5 months.... Get back to me when his game totals hit up near a full hockey season, like many of the others he is playing with and against. This topic has grown so tiresome.

If we wanted a gamebreaker for the playoffs at the trade deadline... WHOOOPS the uppers dropped the ball becuase there was NO WAY he could become that. He still didn't play for a month AFTER we got him. He was seriously hurt... it takes longer than 16 games to get back into the swing of thing after missing almost a 1/2 calendar year. We all knew that when we got him... if you didn't and are shocked at the rust he is showing... then there is another WHOOPS, your bad... This is reality not fantasy.

Edited May 4, 2007 by OsGOD

[ttbrunke 0]

If we put Yzerman in righ tnow whould he be better than Cleary or Maltby? Cause this is what this thread is about. Putting a rusty player coming off a HUGE injury/surgery and expecting him to be our best physical player.

HE MISSED 7 MONTHS!!! He was able to get in a few games before the end of the season and then got a CONCUSSION. I hope we resign him just so he gets a chance to get closer to 100% to shut all the "he's too soft" nay-sayers mouths next season.

Players miss time like that all the time and still can look better than that, look at Tim Connoly in Buffalo he missed the whole season with a CONCUSSION but still can make moves and passes that make players look bad. Enough excuses for bad play. Also if you remember Yzerman coming off knee surgery last year seemed like the only player who wanted to play in the series against Edmonton. At his age and with his problems he was better than bertuzzi has been. Good players find a way to play hard at least. Bertuzzi is coasting.

[OsGOD 3]

Players miss time like that all the time and still can look better than that, look at Tim Connoly in Buffalo he missed the whole season with a CONCUSSION but still can make moves and passes that make players look bad. Enough excuses for bad play. Also if you remember Yzerman coming off knee surgery last year seemed like the only player who wanted to play in the series against Edmonton. At his age and with his problems he was better than bertuzzi has been. Good players find a way to play hard at least. Bertuzzi is coasting.

Comparing players injuries unless the exact same... is not really the best example... there are too many variables involved and injuries affect players all differently.

Having just pulled my back out in a game.... I would have to say that is enough to make me think twice about going into the corners my first game back... I can only imagine what having back surgery would do. Perhaps he is not at 100%... maybe that is why he isn't looking good. He was starting to hit his groove right before He tried to take on the powerful Oz, who unfortuantly concussed the poor man. Perhaps if Big Bert could take a full season off after his Concussion like Timmy got to do he to would be playing better right now.

Edited May 4, 2007 by OsGOD

[Covenant 0]

Comparing players injuries unless the exact same... is not really the best example... there are too many variables involved and injuries affect players all differently.

No doubt. Threads like this are nonsense from "fans".. yeah, he's SUPER rusty, but Babcock isn't an idiot. He was "demoted" to the 4th line last game for a reason. Lang and Tuzzi on Line 4 is a good combo.

Let's encourage Todd, not rip him to shreds.

[dicksmack 33]

The further the Wings go, the more rust Todd can shake off. The exciting thing is, when he turns on, he can take a game over--esp. with the talent that surrounds him. I'm geeked. GO TODD!

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

The further the Wings go, the more rust Todd can shake off. The exciting thing is, when he turns on, he can take a game over--esp. with the talent that surrounds him. I'm geeked. GO TODD!

True. His hands are still there. When he put that puck in the roof over Kipper from like 3 feet in front of him, all the doubt about him losing his touch washed away in my mind. That was an incredible goal, most of the Wings would have had the puck on the ice or in his chest.

[swedishseven 9]

bert played the holmstrom role in van on the pp,right in front of the goalie,hard to push out and a big body to try and move.we have homer to do that for us,so his role there isn't as important.he also would steamroll through the defense and at least get a shot on net when heading into the zone.now he bullies in but seems to end up on the boards or turning the puck back over right away.this is all NOT how he played in vancouver,and it's no surprise he's not successful right now.whether he's unable mentally/physically or babs has made him try something different,i dont know.but i've watched him play hundreds of games for the nucks and he just isn't playing the role he used to.I keep hoping for better though cause we all know how affective he can be...

[Winged Scooter 0]

True. His hands are still there. When he put that puck in the roof over Kipper from like 3 feet in front of him, all the doubt about him losing his touch washed away in my mind. That was an incredible goal, most of the Wings would have had the puck on the ice or in his chest.

That's a great point, that was really a good game for him. I think that just re-inforces the rust theory. He has "moments" but can't seem to string any consistent play together, the longer the playoffs go, I'm confident the better he will get. And THEN all of the nay-sayers will have to go back to complaining about Dats, or Zetts, of Hasek, or Lang, etc..

[ttbrunke 0]

I think we got off topic, I know he will not be the player he was before, but i would like someone who can carry the puck for more that 50ft. Injured or not he deserves to be on the 4th line. When he plays beeter I will be the first to say move him up but now leave him back with lang.

[OsGOD 3]

How are we off topic?

Anyways... Wanting somebody to be able to carry the puck 50ft or else getting put on 4th line... Thats impossible... NHL doesn't allow for an entire team to be on the 4th line.

Nobody on the team is standing out as a superstar right now... The team is winning games because they have spurts where they remember how to play a team game and then dominate.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I will say that Bert hasn't played up to what I believe he is currently capable of. Factoring in the Moore incident and his injury this season, I still expected him to be a little harder to knock off the puck. He seemed to be doing much better with this before he got the concussion at the end of the season.

The tough truth of the matter is that Bert was bad in game 4, and painfully so in the third and OT. I know people are going to bring up the fact that he is still trying to find his place on this team, but he needs to play as strong as he can, because I remember a certain Sharks fan telling me that the offense for SJ averages 6-1, 215 (or some sh*t like that ). Bert is very capable of taking over a game with a hit or a hold in the offensive zone due to his strength and size, and game 5 & 6 will be the ideal time for him to step up that play.

Here's hoping he can!

Edited May 4, 2007 by Never Forget Mac #25

[Guest Crymson]

Every time I see Bertuzzi I wonder why he is still on the ice with the top lines. He clearly doesn̢۪t play a big mans game anymore. You don̢۪t see him leaning on people to get to the middle with the puck or using his size to create openings. In fact it is getting really frustrating to watch him skate into the zone only to lose it off his stick and leave it behind him, even when he is in open ice. I hope that he is not back next year and think that he should be demoted to the 4th line for a while. Does anyone see what I see? Calder as well has not been very impressive I know he has injury concerns but I expected him to be better than this, I am not impressed with Hollands deadline deals but you have to give him a pass for the good teams he has given us.

Hindsight's a *****, isn't it?

Ever tried to play hockey with a screwed up back or a broken hand? Almost certainly not, from these comments; go give it a shot, and then come back and make judgments.

I now feel further befuddled as to some peoples` need to always have somebody to blame or to attack, almost always needlessly and with zero supporting evidence.

Edited May 4, 2007 by Crymson

[bringback91 2]

Eh, he hasn't looked all that great in this series. I thought he was alot better last one. Maybe it's the concussion or something, but I think he'll be coming around shortly. It makes no sense to put him on the fourth line. You might as well just scratch him then. I'm waiting until the Wings are out of the playoffs before i give anyone a final grade. I don't think we've heard the last of him this year yet.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

I think we got off topic, I know he will not be the player he was before, but i would like someone who can carry the puck for more that 50ft. Injured or not he deserves to be on the 4th line. When he plays beeter I will be the first to say move him up but now leave him back with lang.

looks like your view of staying on topic is to bash him. useless thread.