Devellano says Wings close to signing Bertuzzi

[Mors 201]

Happy to have Bertuzzi back for $1.5 million. If you guys can justify Williams at that price, then it shouldn't be too hard to come up with something for Bert as well.

[daniel1 32]

To address the penalty minute issue: I would imagine playing for The Wings and Babcock will be a little more settling for Bertuzzi with regards to attitude and discipline than playing for Keenan and The Flames.

How true, Keenan probably mandated that all his players get at least 5PIM per night or there would be bag skating immediately after the game. He may be the one person that might be able to convince me to cheer for another team if he were to ever join the Wings. Keenan recently "won" a poll of NHL players for the coach they would least like to play for so at least I'm not alone in my opinion of him as a pure douchebag.

[rick zombo 3,739]

Just wondering:

What is the probablity that Bertuzzi and his agent initiated these negotiations? Maybe Bertuzzi sought out Detroit.

My reasoning - After the Williams signing, Holland basically stated that they were done signing players for the time being. Most of us assumed that meant no more UFAs at least until after camp and maybe no significant player movement until the deadline.

And then, all of a sudden, this.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

It's certainly a possibility; with the fall camp getting closer, and closer - many UFAs like Bert are wondering what life might be like sitting at home all season long

I'm sure Holland will have alot of leverage here :deal:

I will gladly take Bert at a reasonable, fair market price for these statistics alone:

6 foot 3, 231 pounds

He adds instant size and strength to a forward corps that is severely lacking in both departments.

Combining him with Holmstrom and Cleary's corner work and ability to get to the net and with Franzen's skills and size 6 foot 3, 220 pounds, that puts some serious beef on two of our lines.

And anybody who has seen Bert play knows that for a big man he does have good hands still but more importantly, he doesn't get knocked around down in the trenches. He's too big and too strong to get manhandled like Hudler and that comes in real handy when facing teams that have 2, 3 or more defenders all well over 6 foot and 210 pounds.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

I'm simply talking about the end result, which is goal and point totals. Each one of these guys (yeah, each) have the potential to put up strong numbers, I'd say at the minimum half of what Hudler's totals were. In other words, its close to being Hudler x3. Now players will be fighting for their spots. Unlike last season, finally, each one of our lines will have SOLID SCORERS ON THEM. No longer will we have to close our eyes and pray every time the 4th line comes out. This also allows some of the kids to finish up their conditioning in GR. I think this is whats best.

Also, I still compare the number to Hudler's 3.5 and not the arbitrator's number because 3.5 is the amount WE offered him and is the amount HE turned down. Meaning next season could have been with Hudler at 3.5 or Bertuzzi/Eaves/Williams at the same price. Once again, I'd take the latter.

Hey now, you don't consider Maltby and Draper solid scorers on our 4th line last year?

[The Mule 0]

I think I'm the only person on this board who will have been overjoyed by the signings of Eaves, Williams, and Bertuzzi.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I think I'm the only person on this board who will have been overjoyed by the signings of Eaves, Williams, and Bertuzzi.

I'm pleased with Eaves, and I will be with Bertuzzi if he signs, but Williams I'm bummed about, mainly because Prospal was available and was taken for cheaper, and I've wanted to see him in a Red Wings uniform for years.

[rage 24]

You are serious considering putting a guy who was -13 last year on the second line. Bert is a marginal player at best. He is not going to be on our second line.

It takes more than "big and tough" to be on the second line.

Of course I'd but him on the second line, and I bet Babs does too.

You know that +/- can be a misleading stat, especially depending on the team around the player.

Olli Jokinen, last year w/ the Flames, a -7. I bet you wouldn't put him on the second line either, right?

Hell is Jarome Iginla was a -2 last year!!

It's just as much the team around the player in +/- stats. There are 4 other guys on the ice.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

If Kenny manages to bring him back for $1.5, aside from cap space there's absolutely no rational argument for not bringing him back. Holland already confirmed the Wings would head into camp over the cap and make moves accordingly. To me, this also suggests Lilja isn't close to coming back. If he was, I can't imagine Kenny would put himself in that tight of a cap position.

The only questionable move Kenny's made this offseason is the Williams deal, because if Bert signs for the same amount of money its looks ridiculous both on paper and on the ice.

[RedWingsRox 614]

Oh God ... NO!!! We don't need him and I don't want him.

Seriously, can we put together a petition or something.

Fact, he has been dumped by team after team ... Vancouver, Florida, Anaheim, and now Calgary. They can't all be wrong.

Holland, please come back from your vacation now and put a stop to this madness.

[uk_redwing 495]

I'm pleased with Eaves, and I will be with Bertuzzi if he signs, but Williams I'm bummed about, mainly because Prospal was available and was taken for cheaper, and I've wanted to see him in a Red Wings uniform for years.

Ditto. At least Williams will replace Samuelsson, Hudler and Kopecky as the combined whipping boy. Im gonna whip him so hard he'll turn the colour of his logo.

[Esquire 324]

Being from Sudbury as well, I approve this! Get it done Kenny!

[rage 24]

Oh God ... NO!!! We don't need him and I don't want him.

Seriously, can we put together a petition or something.

Fact, he has been dumped by team after team ... Vancouver, Florida, Anaheim, and now Calgary. They can't all be wrong.

Holland, please come back from your vacation now and put a stop to this madness.

By signing him!!

[rage 24]

If Kenny manages to bring him back for $1.5, aside from cap space there's absolutely no rational argument for not bringing him back. Holland already confirmed the Wings would head into camp over the cap and make moves accordingly. To me, this also suggests Lilja isn't close to coming back. If he was, I can't imagine Kenny would put himself in that tight of a cap position.

The only questionable move Kenny's made this offseason is the Williams deal, because if Bert signs for the same amount of money its looks ridiculous both on paper and on the ice.

Right on man.

Also, Kenny just came out and said if the season were to start today that Lilja would not be ready to go. Also, I read recently that he still has headaches daily, so I doubt he'll play before Dec.

[redwingfan19 293]

Hossa aside, we lose kopecky, hudler, and sammy, replace them with eaves, willy, and potentially bert, those are some realy good replacements. And they are all canadian

[skacore 2]

I really hope we do sign Bertuzzi. I thought the Eaves signing was ok, Williams are bad (like most people felt) but if we get Bertuzzi I couldn't give a s*** about Williams anymore... Bert has unreal hands I'd love to see him play on Datsyuk's wing and stay healthy for a year, 30 goals and some size/toughness up front in the top 6... perfect.

[swiss_redwingfan 5]

TSN got it:

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=288074

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Bert has unreal hands I'd love to see him play on Datsyuk's wing and stay healthy for a year, 30 goals and some size/toughness up front in the top 6... perfect.

And this would be the board's reaction if the Wings had traded for Todd in 2003.

[T.Low 1,011]

I really hope we do sign Bertuzzi. I thought the Eaves signing was ok, Williams are bad (like most people felt) but if we get Bertuzzi I couldn't give a s*** about Williams anymore... Bert has unreal hands I'd love to see him play on Datsyuk's wing and stay healthy for a year, 30 goals and some size/toughness up front in the top 6... perfect.

Why did Iginla and the Flames not want him back?

Because he's got nothing left. The man is beat down physically and emotionally. The talent will not surface often enough. He will be a defensive liability and put us a man down all too often. Then he will do the infamous Bertuzzi Pout.

And I was a fan of bringing him here the first time. I would love to be wrong, but the math does not add up favorably.

Edited August 18, 2009 by T.Low

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I think I'm the only person on this board who will have been overjoyed by the signings of Eaves, Williams, and Bertuzzi.

I always figured you were really a Blackhawks fan.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I posted this in the Holmstrom thread also, but I figure its relevant here too.

A potentially scary thought just occurred to me.

Adding Bertuzzi to our roster puts us just under 1M over the cap, which is more than Lebda's entire salary. That means the odd man out is Lilja, yet it seems like he would be too much of an unknown with his injury to know what we can do with him at this point. Will we be able to trade him with his injury? Will he be too healthy to be on IR for as long as the Wings need him to be in order to retain Bert? And why bring in Bertuzzi, who plays a similar style as Homer, Franzen and Cleary? We have a good amount of drive-the-net types right now, and with Holland's knack for efficiency with filling gaps, it seems like he would've brought in someone more goal score worthy, or right-handed, or good at PK. One of the three. (A cheaper Prospal comes to mind)

Then I began thinking. What if Homer is injured and they don't expect him to play much this year? He was hurt pretty bad last year, and in the playoffs there was definitely something bugging him enough to stop him from doing what he needs to do. That would certainly warrant bringing in Bertuzzi to fill in his role on the top line (or Franzen's on the second), and it would justify passing on Prospal (or another more injury-free scorer who shoots right handed or plays the PK), because he isn't the type to drive the net. It also gives Holland a bit more leeway with the whole Lilja situation to make signing a third forward this year a bit more plausible, because Homer might be on LTIR as well. Between him and Lilja, Holland may also have some capspace left for the deadline in case Howard doesn't pan out, but that's incredibly tentative.

I don't know. I'm probably just freaking myself out, but it fits a little too well for my liking.

[esteef 2,679]

He will be a defensive liability and put us a man down all too often. Then he will do the infamous Bertuzzi Pout.

[Peleshob 0]

I know a lot of people are bummed out by this... I hope you'll all be pleasantly surprised by Bertuzzi. I'll feel a lot better inking Bert than I do about Williams. At least he's got the same offensive upside, plus grit. Who knows, the guy could end up working out really well. All things considered, the off-season could have been much worse.

Pros: Locking up Z and Mule, Eaves and possibly Bert & Losing Hossa so that we can win in the finals.

Cons: Locking up Williams and losing Huds for two years.

Who Cares: Losing "Shin Guard" Samuelsson.

[Cern 0]

Because he's got nothing left. The man is beat down physically and emotionally. The talent will not surface often enough. He will be a defensive liability and put us a man down all too often. Then he will do the infamous Bertuzzi Pout.

This. With him more or less guaranteed to miss 1/3-1/2 of the season because of his back, if we end up signing him we better be paying him accordingly.

[ShanahanMan 473]

Why did Iginla and the Flames not want him back?

Because he's got nothing left. The man is beat down physically and emotionally. The talent will not surface often enough. He will be a defensive liability and put us a man down all too often. Then he will do the infamous Bertuzzi Pout.

And I was a fan of bringing him here the first time. I would love to be wrong, but the math does not add up favorably.

Man I don't understand some of you people. Nothing left? The dude had 44 points last year! Thats just about 10 short of Hudler! Except unlike Hudler, Bert isn't gonna be making 3.5 mil and isn't gonna get run over by every other player in the league. You guys complain about the -13 but seem to forget that Calgary was infamous for being a defensively lacked team! It's probably the reason they couldn't get past the first round. Ofcourse that would contribute to a minus. Jesus, some of you are acting like we're signing Eric Lindros for Christ's sake.

We'd be getting a big, solid, forward (which Hudler wasn't) who won't get pushed around and has a killer shot, and we'd be getting him for a dirt cheap price and some of you are complaining!?

Did you guys forget that next season Brashier will be making 1.5 mil, Neil 2 mil, and Samuelsson 2.5 mil! (who is only two years younger AND had 4 points LESS then Bert)

Do you still believe we're getting ripped? Cause I sure as hell just don't see it.

Edited August 18, 2009 by ShanahanMan