30 replies to this topic

[joesuffP]

If the wings pick up a primary top 6 goal scorer and we get more depth where does Bertuzzi fit? On which line does Bertuzzi play assuming Holland picks up all the players you would like to be signed to this team. Is he a good enough 3rd liner on a Stanley Cup winning team... I think a 4th line of Abdelkader-Helm-Eaves would be the perfect 4th line for a stanley cup run... no team could match up against it... Assuming they fall down the depth chart because of signings... but where does Bertuzzi fit in the grand scheme of things? My dream 3rd line would be big, strong, physical with a little scoring touch so we would have different looks on every line... I don't see how Bertuzzi can play on this team if we want to be a strong contender

[Dabura]

Won't be traded; he fought Weber.

I see him on the third line with Helm and Cleary.

[LeftWinger]

On my make a wish team its the line combo of Morrow-Helm-Bertuzzi...

...but in reality it will be Cleary-Helm-Bertuzzi, which, when healthy was a pretty good 3rd line. Either way, I think if they sign Parise, he goes to the 3rd, with (hopefully) Nyquist taking a spot on the 2nd with Z and Val...

[joesuffP]

If we get Parise then Franzen should be playing on the third line. I bet he gets 30 goals getting less ice time but matching up against teams 3rd lines, gives us awesome secondary scoring

[LeftWinger]

If we get Parise then Franzen should be playing on the third line. I bet he gets 30 goals getting less ice time but matching up against teams 3rd lines, gives us awesome secondary scoring

Oh yeah, forgot about Franzen, he must have been invisible.

But is Bertuzzi still good enough to play with Dats and Parise? Could he keep up?

[joesuffP]

That's what I mean. This team has so many fringe players that it's hard to put them somewhere without slowing a line down or wasting their talents.. I don't think Bertuzzi's role on this team is needed based on the style we play. We are a few pieces away from having well built forward lines up and down but if Holland has to think of putting Bertuzzi and Cleary somewhere in the lineup when he's trying to sign players then our team will be held back from what it potentially could be

[Dabura]

Cleary's not going anywhere either, and, unless we somehow sign several real good forwards (including Parise), he won't be playing on the fourth line.

[MacAttack25]

I think Bertuzzi fits best in the bottom 6, maybe getting some powerplay time and some top 6 time on occasion. Plus his usual shootout spot. I think a bottom 6 along the lines of:

Bertuzzi - Abdelkader - Prust
Miller (Cleary) - Helm - Eaves

Would be really strong. I love Bertuzzi, but we have too many streaky players in the top 6 right now. I think he can still provide some good secondary scoring though. I also think with less minutes he'll stay healthier and be able to play more physical down the stretch like we've seen him do before.

[puckbags]

Oh yeah, forgot about Franzen, he must have been invisible.

But is Bertuzzi still good enough to play with Dats and Parise? Could he keep up?

Not a chance,he could barely keep up with Franzen lol. I love Bert but he is a bottom 6 guy. I think Homer is going to hang them up and I really think Bert could be great in front of the net on the PP. He has great hands and he's huge. There is a spot on this team for him for sure but it's not in the top 6.

[kipwinger]

I think Bertuzzi fits best in the bottom 6, maybe getting some powerplay time and some top 6 time on occasion. Plus his usual shootout spot. I think a bottom 6 along the lines of:

Bertuzzi - Abdelkader - Prust
Miller (Cleary) - Helm - Eaves

Would be really strong. I love Bertuzzi, but we have too many streaky players in the top 6 right now. I think he can still provide some good secondary scoring though. I also think with less minutes he'll stay healthier and be able to play more physical down the stretch like we've seen him do before.

Don't really know where that third line is going to get their scoring from, but if you switched them you'd be alright considering Helm, Cleary, Eaves, and Miller are all better offensively than that third line. Bert can score, but put up as many goals this year as Miller did and had the advantage of playing with Pav.

[SwedeLundin77]

Bertuzzi WILL be on the third line, while filling in the top 6 when injuries or slow production occurs. He will also assume Holmstrom duties in front of the net on the powerplay from time to time.

And he is a solid guy to have in the bottom 6 with some specialties that do help the squad. He is not by any means a slug out there.. he skates well enough and won't be pushed around. I'm happy to have him as a 3rd liner who can put up 35-50 pts.

[Sycsa]

^This

Also, he'll continue to win us lots of extra points in shootouts.

[55fan]

Bert will serve as our powerplay, seeing as how our powerplay is our enforcer.

[Dabura]

Also, he'll continue to win us lots of extra points in shootouts.

Are we the only team in the league with a "shoot-out specialist"?

[Carman]

Are we the only team in the league with a "shoot-out specialist"?

Frans Nielsen, Eric Christensen, Ales Kotalik? To be fair Nielsen is a pretty good player, but the other two weren't anything special.

Bertuzzi is a good 3rd liner, and below average second liner. He's still a valuable player, but I do agree he's role should be lowered in terms of TOI with the top 6.

[Crymson]

40-50 points and good shootout skills for $2m is not bad. He'll be on the 3rd line and fill in on the 2nd or 1st where injuries make it necessary. He's not great against the top two lines of other teams, but I'm thinking he can do a lot of good against their 3rd and 4th lines.

[dropkickshanahans]

Are we the only team in the league with a "shoot-out specialist"?

I remember when Adrian Aucoin always clutched it in most of his attempts.

[Drake_Marcus]

'tuzzi is going to be much more effective on the 3rd line where he can be opportunistic than on the 2nd line where he'll be viewed as not pulling his weight.

[SouthernWingsFan]

Lines go hot/cold all the time, Franzen-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi could work well again, but assuming everybody is healthy, I'd stick him on a 3rd line to start. Him with Helm and Abdelkader for example started off the season real well.

[irishock]

Bertuzzi can definitely keep up with Datsyuk and Parise. He has the hockey sense to do so. And he'll be a definite fixture on the shootout men.