Bringing back Tyler Bertuzzi would be a huge win for the Boston Bruins this offseason, but they need to take care of business over the next few days or the chances of him returning to the Original Six club could decrease significantly.
The NHL free agent class is very weak this summer. There are very few game-changing talents who could hit the open market. That's one of the reasons why there are so many trade rumors at the moment -- if a team wants to make a huge upgrade, the trade market is the best place to do it.
The Bruins are the only team allowed to talk to Bertuzzi about a contract right now. But once free agency begins Saturday, the whole league can contact the 28-year-old winger.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
More Tyler Bertuzzi analysis
Bertuzzi also is in the enviable position of being the No. 1 ranked unrestricted free agent -- or at least top three -- and he plays the kind of gritty, power forward-type of hockey that general managers love. And after watching Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk dominate the playoffs playing that way, you can bet GMs are going to be searching far and wide for similar players, and Bertuzzi falls in that mix.
Speaking of Tkachuk, his Panthers are one of the teams with significant interest in signing Bertuzzi as a free agent, per Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest.
The Bruins' saw their record-breaking 2022-23 season collapse in the first round of the playoffs with a stunning overtime loss in Game 7 to the Panthers. Florida signing one of Boston's best free agents would be a second gut punch for Bruins fans.
Where do the Bruins stand with Bertuzzi? Here's a Tuesday morning update from Strickland:
The Bruins have $10.9 million in salary cap space, per CapFriendly, as a result of Monday's trade that sent Taylor Hall (and his $6 million cap hit) to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for two minor-league defensemen. Boston has enough cap space to sign Bertuzzi and make other moves, although more cap-clearing measures likely will need to take place in the coming weeks.
Bertuzzi was an excellent fit with the Bruins after they acquired him in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings on March 2. He showed very good chemistry with David Pastrnak and gave the Bruins a strong net-front presence. He also was a productive offensive player with 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 21 regular season games, in addition to a team-leading 10 points (five goals, five assists) in the seven-game playoff series versus the Panthers.
The Bruins must prioritize re-signing Bertuzzi. They have just six forwards under contract for next season and a weakness at left wing with Hall's departure. Failing to bring back Bertuzzi would put the Bruins in a tough spot up front with limited cap space and a lackluster free agent class.