82 replies to this topic

[FunkyBlueFish203]

Yes.

Bertuzzi played even though he was not completely healthy. He was getting better, he had an awesome game against Anaheim but then hurt his back. Before joining the Wings, he had played just 15 games in Florida so we knew it was going to take him some time to get going. The Wings recognize what he brings to the table, especially since he will be completely rested to start next season. I think there is interest from both sides to get a deal done. It's going to come down to numbers. Hopefully Bertuzzi stays.

[njf520]

people who think he will become the bertuzzi of old are kidding themselves. if we can get him for $2mil or under, i am fine with it but he made $5.4mil last season. he isn't going to take a 60% paycut.

people keep saying, "and he says he wants to stay!" um...of course he is saying that. makes no sense for him to say, "i don't know if i like this place" before he has heard holland's offer.

i really think another team will offer him $4mil or so and detroit won't counter.

just one man's opinion.

Yes indeed.

I want him to be a Wing for a long, long time.

you do realize bertuzzi will be 33 half way through next season. i don't see him playing past age 36 at most. and with his skills already declining, he has at best 2 years with any kind of productivity left.

you did notice the way he ducks out of the way when playing in front of the net, right? not sure why people love this guy.

[HockeyCrazy3033]

people who think he will become the bertuzzi of old are kidding themselves. if we can get him for $2mil or under, i am fine with it but he made $5.4mil last season. he isn't going to take a 60% paycut.

people keep saying, "and he says he wants to stay!" um...of course he is saying that. makes no sense for him to say, "i don't know if i like this place" before he has heard holland's offer.

i really think another team will offer him $4mil or so and detroit won't counter.

just one man's opinion.

No. There's a difference between someone saying they want to stay because they 'have' to say that, and someone that keeps saying in every interview that he absolutely loves it here, loves the organizations, the guys, fans, and that it's a special team. He doesn't have to say all that, yet he does. I'm guessing he's being completely honest.

people who think he will become the bertuzzi of old are kidding themselves. if we can get him for $2mil or under, i am fine with it but he made $5.4mil last season. he isn't going to take a 60% paycut.

people keep saying, "and he says he wants to stay!" um...of course he is saying that. makes no sense for him to say, "i don't know if i like this place" before he has heard holland's offer.

i really think another team will offer him $4mil or so and detroit won't counter.

just one man's opinion.




you do realize bertuzzi will be 33 half way through next season. i don't see him playing past age 36 at most. and with his skills already declining, he has at best 2 years with any kind of productivity left.

you did notice the way he ducks out of the way when playing in front of the net, right? not sure why people love this guy.

Right. Because we all know when you reach the age of 33 that it means your career is about to go downhill. Bertuzzi has plenty of years left in him. He's been nowhere near effective as he was with the Nucks for two reasons: 1. The incident 2. His awful back injury. I don't understand why it's so hard for people to realize that injuring your back is probably the worst thing for an athlete to do. If your back is messed up, then you're going to be completely useless out there. He came back too soon because of the playoffs. He played around what 65%? And yet he still looked pretty decent, and started looking really good in the last series. The Wings know that if this guy is completely healthy, works out, gets back into form, and has a training camp under his belt that he's more than capable of being the powerhouse Bertuzzi with loads of talent and skill that he use to be. And you bet I would duck away from the net too if I just had a major back problem, wasn't 100% and on top of that recently had a concussion. You don't take risks to make it worse by getting chopped in the back, or getting a puck thrown at your face.

[Offsides]

Indeed. No need to lavish compliments if you don't really want to stay. Gotta love Bert!

You can thank OsGod for Bert loving Detroit. When he came back from suspension in his first game here we went down shook his hand and welcomed him back to the NHL. That's gotta count for something (OsGod's idea)

Edited by Offsides, 27 May 2007 - 07:11 PM.

[njf520]

No. There's a difference between someone saying they want to stay because they 'have' to say that, and someone that keeps saying in every interview that he absolutely loves it here, loves the organizations, the guys, fans, and that it's a special team. He doesn't have to say all that, yet he does. I'm guessing he's being completely honest.
Right. Because we all know when you reach the age of 33 that it means your career is about to go downhill. Bertuzzi has plenty of years left in him. He's been nowhere near effective as he was with the Nucks for two reasons: 1. The incident 2. His awful back injury. I don't understand why it's so hard for people to realize that injuring your back is probably the worst thing for an athlete to do. If your back is messed up, then you're going to be completely useless out there. He came back too soon because of the playoffs. He played around what 65%? And yet he still looked pretty decent, and started looking really good in the last series. The Wings know that if this guy is completely healthy, works out, gets back into form, and has a training camp under his belt that he's more than capable of being the powerhouse Bertuzzi with loads of talent and skill that he use to be. And you bet I would duck away from the net too if I just had a major back problem, wasn't 100% and on top of that recently had a concussion. You don't take risks to make it worse by getting chopped in the back, or getting a puck thrown at your face.

i point wasn't that he is 33 and therefore his career will now go downhill. my point is that yes, just as you said, back surgery is very serious and since that surgery he has not been 100% yet, and i don't think he will ever be 100% again. same thing happened with a friend of mine, wendel clark. hurt his back and was never the same. people said that the reason he wasn't playing as well was because he hurt his back. true. problem was he couldn't get back to 100%...and i don't thnk bert will either.

either way, i'd be interested to know what amount of money people would want to see the wings pay bert. i say $2mil or under.

[Jon_G]

I love Bertuzzi and I want him back more then anything this summer. I would be comfortable with the Wings paying him up to $5 mil next season. A healthy Bertuzzi is worth more than $5 mil. If they lock him up to a multi-year deal, I'm getting my Bertuzzi jersey the next day

[Kp-Wings]

Yes. He proved himself in the Anaheim series, and was slowly getting better. Now he just has to get healthy, and stay healthy, and we'll all be good.

[RedRockit]

You can thank OsGod for Bert loving Detroit. When he came back from suspension in his first game here we went down shook his hand and welcomed him back to the NHL. That's gotta count for something (OsGod's idea)

and Classy move, I'm sure it meant a great deal to him. (wut no roses? corsage? Didn't anyone ever tell OsGod that if he's gonna go out with a new guy for hockey season he should at least bring him chocolates?)

Bert stays, I hope. I'm not as concerned about the back injury issue as perhaps I should be: he had a relatively strong finish to the playoff season despite the injured tailbone, and I just love his attitude and ethic and the strong desire he showed. I think he's got a lot of great hockey miles to go on him, and I can't see us getting anyone near his quality for the price I'm thinking Holland's gonna get him to agree to.

Edited by RedRockit, 27 May 2007 - 08:17 PM.

[T-Ruff]

If we don't keep him, he is going to dominate with another team.... I'd rather have him doing that here.....

[Dano33]

No thank you. i am not a bertuzzi fan and i dont want him back. i know he was hurt, but he showed absolutely no heart out there. if he was healthy enough to play, then he was healthy enough to give some sort of effort, and he didn't. he was lazier than lang and i don't recall him winning one battle for the puck. spend the money on someone else who gives a s*** and will actually help this team out.

[Chelios57]

Yes.

[HockeyCrazy3033]

No thank you. i am not a bertuzzi fan and i dont want him back. i know he was hurt, but he showed absolutely no heart out there. if he was healthy enough to play, then he was healthy enough to give some sort of effort, and he didn't. he was lazier than lang and i don't recall him winning one battle for the puck. spend the money on someone else who gives a s*** and will actually help this team out.

You mean how whenever he had the puck and one or two guys were on him, he'd push them off with one hand and singlehandedly carry the puck from end to end? Or when he'd steal the puck in the corners and do what I just mentioned all over again?

Edited by HockeyCrazy3033, 27 May 2007 - 08:56 PM.

[Detroit # 1 Fan]

a healthy Bertuzzi can be the best player in hockey.

If he ever gets his 03/04 form back , he'll be a monster

[SouthernWingsFan]

Absolutely.

We finally saw Bertuzzi getting better despite his back injury during the middle part of the Duck series.

We all know how much of a pain in the a** he was to play against in the opening round of the 2002 playoffs back in the Vancouver days, we all know what he can bring to the table.

He has some time to get healthy now without any major travel over the next few months, he can re-cooperate in Detroit or back in his home in Kitchener and get better.

We've read that he wants to stay with the Wings, it's a managable distance from his home. Hopefully Bertuzzi and Holland can come towards some mutual agreement for a contract that is somewhat less than the $5M he was roughly making this year.

I'd say a 2/3 year deal around $3M a year might make sense, but I'm no GM so who knows.....

Maybe offer him an incentive laden contract like the Wings did with Hasek this past season? It's kind of a similar scenario. You know what Bertuzzi can bring to the table, much like Hasek this past season, but health is/was in question.

[njf520]

You mean how whenever he had the puck and one or two guys were on him, he'd push them off with one hand and singlehandedly carry the puck from end to end? Or when he'd steal the puck in the corners and do what I just mentioned all over again?

well, i'm glad we're not exaggerating his play in the playoffs...geez.

[HockeyCrazy3033]

well, i'm glad we're not exaggerating his play in the playoffs...geez.

Did I say that it was the way he played the entire post season? No. Did I say he'd steal the puck constantly? No. I believe I said whenever he had the puck, be it was often or rarely..when he had it he did his thing.

Edited by HockeyCrazy3033, 27 May 2007 - 09:17 PM.

[Detroit # 1 Fan]

Man , If only there were no salary cap.

We could sign our 2nd line. It'd be Smyth-Drury-Bertuzzi. That'd be sweet.

But Bert definately has to come back , for like 3 years

[BringHomeTheCup!]

In short, as long as he can be signed for a resonable price. And remember, if we resign him, we lose a first rounder. That's a lot to give up on something you arne't sure about.

[Kp-Wings]

a healthy Bertuzzi can be the best player in hockey.

If he ever gets his 03/04 form back , he'll be a monster

2002/2003 was his best season. Unless you want him to go out there and break some necks, I don't think you want him in his 2003/2004 form.

[Detroit # 1 Fan]

2002/2003 was his best season. Unless you want him to go out there and break some necks, I don't think you want him in his 2003/2004 form.

02/03 , Thats what I meant, Thats for catching that , I dont want him breaking any necks. Unless its Claude Lemeuix or Chris Pronger. But even Prongers a strech