My petition to free Bertuzzi

[The Secret 304]

I had to get a few things off my chest with regard to Todd Bertuzzi - his past, present and future.

In the past Bert had great success in Vancouver, a team that he played on for years and built chemistry with & that he eventually went on to have great success with! Its totally not fair to expect him to produce like he did in Vancouver after missing 3/4's of the regular season for having Back Surgery, being traded to a new team and expect him to be 100% playoff ready!? I personally think he is doing a fantastic job considering! He is only going to get better and IMO he is what we have been needing for a while now! Give him a break and wait and see what he will do after a full healthy season. A few years back Hatcher was expected to be the second coming and was cricified on his site for not recovering to 100% over night and single handedly bringing us to a Cup final.... I'd much rather have Bertuzzi then Hatcher. Any of you that don't think Bert is fitting in or doing well.... let me break your back, move you to a new city and a new job and expect you to produce the same results as you do in your current position!

Second, How long is Bertuzzi going to be labelled a murderous Frankenstein? His actions on Steve Moore were stupid and he deserved hard punishment but had Moore not fallen awkwardly and his neck not been injured no-one would talk about this. IMO, Pronger's filthy hit on Holmer was just as bad if not worse but because Holmer only walked away with a KO and 13 stitches and not something serious Pronger walks free of being labelled. Lemieux's hit on Drapes was way worse and yet he wasn't put on death row. Bertuzzi's actions were stupid, agree'd, but I honestly don't believe he intended on breaking Moore's neck nor any serious injury. He's served his time now let him move on!

I hope Bertuzzi's future is with the Wings as I like what he's brought to our team and look forward to what he will bring to our team in the future with a healthy season. If you agree with me sign my petition of support to free Bertuzzi ;P

Thats my opinion.... GO WINGS!

[Wings_Fan_In_Exile 3]

I hope the Wings sign him for a 1-2 year contract to see what he can do.

And I really hope he is able to play tonight and make an impact.

[Bert44Wingsfan 0]

I completely agree. Good point about Derian Hatcher. Everyone expected Hatcher to add the physicality the Wings needed and it seems like Bertuzzi who hasn't been a dominant offensive force, has received more criticism. This is probably attributed to the fact that in the back of everyone's heads they still remember Bertuzzi's hit on Steve Moore. Never mind about the fact he's been hurt most of the year, he wasn't brought in to score a lot of goals. Unfortunately he will always have to answer for his hit on Moore. But to me, what has been most impressive about Bertuzzi was the fact that he came to Detroit, put his ego aside, and accepted the role the Wings wanted him to undertake. That says a lot to me. Bertuzzi is a great addition to this team and has added the physical presence the Wings have so desperately needed. Emerick argued the WIngs wouldn't have had a shot against Anaheim had they not had the 6"3, 245 lb guys like Bertuzzi this year. There is no doubt in my mind that Bertuzzi should be resigned in the offseason. They got him fairly cheap and he can prove to be an even greater addition when he's at 100%.

[OsGOD 3]

I would like to see him have a full season of puck under his belt before I write him off as being a has-been. The Bert we have seen this season is what everyone expected, or at least should have expected, from an IR player picked up at the trade deadline. Has he even played 30 games yet this season?

Edited May 22, 2007 by OsGOD

[wingnut22 81]

Second, How long is Bertuzzi going to be labelled a murderous Frankenstein? His actions on Steve Moore were stupid and he deserved hard punishment but had Moore not fallen awkwardly and his neck not been injured no-one would talk about this. IMO, Pronger's filthy hit on Holmer was just as bad if not worse but because Holmer only walked away with a KO and 13 stitches and not something serious Pronger walks free of being labelled. Lemieux's hit on Drapes was way worse and yet he wasn't put on death row. Bertuzzi's actions were stupid, agree'd, but I honestly don't believe he intended on breaking Moore's neck nor any serious injury. He's served his time now let him move on!

I hope Bertuzzi's future is with the Wings as I like what he's brought to our team and look forward to what he will bring to our team in the future with a healthy season. If you agree with me sign my petition of support to free Bertuzzi ;P

Thats my opinion.... GO WINGS!

I could not agree more with that. Unlike Lemieux, Bertuzzi shows that he regrets it and knows that it was a mistake. And if Moore hadn't fallen like he did and had a few guys on top of him, this wouldn't be as big of a deal as it has been. I doubt that he did it with the intentions of breaking his neck, and you can see even now as he plays he is cautious and seems to be weary of going in for the big hits. I hope that they give him a shot next year and that he stays healthy and can make a big impact on the team.

[Wing Nut 0]

I'm in. Good thread

[FinWing 26]

He'll command considerably less money next season so I'm all for giving him a decent chance after he's had a whole summer to get his back in shape.

[Yzermaniac192005 0]

I agree completely with everything you said.

This should become a petition, not only to free Bertuzzi, but to resign him as well. Maybe we can get all of us to chip in and send it to Kenny? lol

[TheDude 0]

...How long is Bertuzzi going to be labelled a murderous Frankenstein? His actions on Steve Moore were stupid and he deserved hard punishment but had Moore not fallen awkwardly and his neck not been injured no-one would talk about this. IMO, Pronger's filthy hit on Holmer was just as bad if not worse but because Holmer only walked away with a KO and 13 stitches and not something serious Pronger walks free of being labelled. Lemieux's hit on Drapes was way worse and yet he wasn't put on death row. Bertuzzi's actions were stupid, agree'd, but I honestly don't believe he intended on breaking Moore's neck nor any serious injury. He's served his time now let him move on!

I hope Bertuzzi's future is with the Wings as I like what he's brought to our team and look forward to what he will bring to our team in the future with a healthy season. If you agree with me sign my petition of support to free Bertuzzi ;P

Thats my opinion.... GO WINGS!

Whether or not Bertuzzi intended to break Moor's neck is irrelavant. The hit was dirty and a neck was broken. Comparing that to what Pronger did is just laughable. Personally, I thought Bertuzzi should have been banned for life, but whatever. I'm sure he feels terrible about what he did...and was punished...

As far as his future with the Wings. I don't know. My feelings about the guy aside, I think the move to get him at the deadline was good and I stand by that. However, Holland may be better suited to look in a different direction this summer.

[Kcjacoby 10]

I say put in with the wings for a full season, before making any decisions...

[LionsAndRedwingsAndPistonsOhMy 3]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I'll toss in my two cents anyways.

I don't want to see Bertuzzi re-signed for 3 reasons:

1. We'd have to give up a 1rst round pick if we re-signed him. I just don't see him being worth that price.

2. I just don't think he will ever regain the form he once had. Obviously, this is purely my opinion.

3. I just don't like him. Like Really, Really don't like him.

I agree with TheDude.....I think his aquisition at the deadline was a good one to give us some extra grit and toughness, but I think we can do better in the longterm.

[vladdy16 2,154]

This WILL NOT become a Bertuzzi/Moore thread. Discuss hockey-related attributes only or the topic is toast.

[BeeRYCE 2]

When did Todd Bertuzzi go to prison?

[spydrwebb 0]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I'll toss in my two cents anyways.

I don't want to see Bertuzzi re-signed for 3 reasons:

1. We'd have to give up a 1rst round pick if we re-signed him. I just don't see him being worth that price.

2. I just don't think he will ever regain the form he once had. Obviously, this is purely my opinion.

3. I just don't like him. Like Really, Really don't like him.

I agree with TheDude.....I think his aquisition at the deadline was a good one to give us some extra grit and toughness, but I think we can do better in the longterm.

draperfan, is that you?

give the guy a season with the DRW organization and then ask me this question again.

[wingnut22 81]

I'm probably in the minority here, but I'll toss in my two cents anyways.

I don't want to see Bertuzzi re-signed for 3 reasons:

1. We'd have to give up a 1rst round pick if we re-signed him. I just don't see him being worth that price.

2. I just don't think he will ever regain the form he once had. Obviously, this is purely my opinion.

3. I just don't like him. Like Really, Really don't like him.

I agree with TheDude.....I think his aquisition at the deadline was a good one to give us some extra grit and toughness, but I think we can do better in the longterm.

I can see where you are coming from with this statement. I have never ever liked Pronger, and if he were ever to become a Red Wing....I dont know if I could learn to like him or anything like that. But then again no one liked Chelios either lol. I think that if he is able to get healthy that he would be a good addition to the team, he hasn't really had a chance to show what he can do for us yet. His games have been improving but still a bit hit and miss, I would give him another season to prove himself and get his game back up and runnning. Even if he doesnt ever get back the form he had before, there are many differnt types of play and he could be just as effective taking on a slightly different role.

[Kp-Wings 3]

If Bertuzzi takes a paycut, I'll be glad to keep him here. If he wants to break the bank though, then let him go. His back is really becoming an issue.

I'd also like to point something out to whoever said giving up a first round draft pick would be too much. In my opinion, it really wouldn't. Heres why:

1. The Wings hardly ever draft in the first round. Usually, they'll only use their first round pick once every 5 years. Jakub Kindl was taken in 2005, but other than that it's been since 2000, when the Wings took Kronwall, that they've actually used a first round pick.

2. The Wings first round picks are almost always busts. Look at some of these past names: Maxim Kuznetsov, Jesse Wallin, Yan Golubovsky, Anders Eriksson, Curtis Bowen. These are really the only guys that have been drafted in the first round recently for the Wings, and they've never made it here. The ones I left off are Jiri Fischer, because before his heart problem he was a decent player, and Nik Kronwall, although he might soon fall into this catagory of being a bust if he can't learn to stay healthy.

*Note that I don't include Jakub Kindl, because he is only a rookie and hasn't even been given an NHL contract yet. Hopefully he never will fall into this catagory, and develops into the star defenseman like many predict*

This is basically the reason why, if a first round pick is given up, it really won't matter. I mean, first round picks are nice to have and all, but in the Wings case they don't work out all that often.