Red Wings’ Tyler Bertuzzi Expected to Make Highly-Anticipated Return Tuesday Versus Jets
Tyler Bertuzzi, sidelined since Nov. 30th due to a hand injury, is slated to return ahead of Tuesday’s tilt versus the Winnipeg Jets.
The Detroit Red Wings forward was placed on injured reserve last month after undergoing surgery on his left hand. But, according to head coach Derek Lalonde, the 27-year-old is ready to re-enter the lineup following a 16-game absence.
Detroit assigned forward Elmer Soderblom to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins on Sunday, opening a roster spot for Bertuzzi’s impending return. Once officially activated, the Red Wings will feature 13 forwards, seven defencemen and three goaltenders, maxing their roster out at 23 skaters.
On the ice, Bertuzzi returned to the club’s top line during Monday’s practice at Little Caesars Arena, reuniting him with teammates Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. He also rejoined the first power-play unit, returning to his net-front position.
The Red Wings remain without forward Filip Zadina, who recently suffered a setback while recovering from a lower-body injury, although Lalonde is hoping he can still return next week. Alex Nedeljkovic’s return is also just around the corner as he aims to finish his AHL conditioning stint.
Bertuzzi, in particular, has struggled to remain healthy for most of this season, limited to just nine games due to multiple hand injuries. The 6-foot-1 forward missed nine games in October after blocking a shot with his right hand.
The Sudbury, Ont., native also hasn’t displayed much offensive production when healthy, tallying one goal and four points while averaging 15:32 of ice time across nine contests. He is, however, averaging a hit per game this season.
But amidst a competitive Eastern Conference, the Red Wings desperately need Bertuzzi to produce consistently, or they could finish outside the playoffs for a seventh straight campaign. And at 16-15-7 with 39 points in 38 games, the franchise currently sits seven points shy of the final wild-card seed – held by the 20-13-6 Pittsburgh Penguins.
There’s also lots on the line for Bertuzzi in 2022-23, as the left-hander will become eligible for unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career this summer. But for someone who’s logged 70 games or more just twice in seven NHL seasons, he still has plenty to prove.
Bertuzzi, a second-round selection by Detroit in 2013, has scored 85 goals and 192 points over 285 career games since debuting in 2016-17. He enjoyed a career year last season, registering career-highs in goals (30), points (62), shots on goal (180) and ice time (19:52) across 68 contests.
But if the All-Star forward, who carries a $4.75 million cap hit in 2022-23, hopes to maximize his value over the off-season, he’ll need to stay healthy and enjoy a stellar second-half performance.
The Red Wings are beginning a three-game homestand on Tuesday, which includes matchups against the Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets before facing the defending Stanley Cup champions in Colorado on Jan. 16th.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @ThomasHall85
Photo: Ken Lund. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.