Golden Knights Trade Talk
Golden Knights Linked To Red Wing’s Tyler Bertuzzi
As we wait for what appears to be an inevitable Vegas Golden Knights trade, speculation on who general manager Kelly McCrimmon could go after is…
As we wait for what appears to be an inevitable Vegas Golden Knights trade, speculation on who general manager Kelly McCrimmon could go after is running wild. The two strongest cases are with St. Louis Blues forwards Noel Acciari and Pavel Buchnevich. But these two aren't the only names on the NHL Trade Bait Board and the Golden Knights are in desperate need of offensive depth scoring.
On Wednesday, Jesse Granger of the Athletic mentioned Tyler Bertuzzi as a potential option for the Golden Knights in a recent mailbag article.
"A couple of names I've thought of recently are Tyler Bertuzzi and Jesse Puljujarvi. They'd fill different roles, but I think each could bring something Vegas is missing," Granger wrote.
Our own Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now also backed the possibility of Bertuzzi being dealt, listing the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, and Dallas Stars as possible suitors among others.
Bertuzzi is a 27-year-old Canadian left-winger who has played seven years in the NHL. He is a pending unrestricted free agent with a cap hit of $4.75 million. Last season was a career year for the nephew of longtime NHL'er Todd Bertuzzi, as he finished second on the Red Wings with 62 points in 68 games.
Adding Bertuzzi would give the VGK a valuable gritty two-way forward, perfect for the playoffs, who can be moved all throughout the top nine.
There are some red (wings) flags with Bertuzzi however as he has only played in 17 games this season due to three separate leg injuries. Allen of DHN mentioned that this would likely drive the asking price for Bertuzzi down to something under a first-round pick.
His cap hit is manageable, with the VGK currently having around $3.9 million in available cap. But that is with Zach Whitecloud on long-term injured reserve and the status of captain Mark Stone, who makes $9.5 million in limbo.
The fate of Bertuzzi will be decided by general manager Steve Yzerman and if he and Bertuzzi's camp can get a contract extension done. Bertuzzi and the Red Wings are in a very similar situation to what we just saw unfold with Bo Horvat and the Vancouver Canucks. The option to sign an extension is there, but as the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline creeps near, the Red Wings might cut their losses and try and get something out of Bertuzzi if they can't reach a deal.
In terms of what the Golden Knights could offer, the usual picks and prospects routine is here. Brendan Brisson, draft picks, etc. To make room for Bertuzzi, Laurent Brossoit, and his $2.325 million cap hit could be moved. Bertuzzi joins a list of VGK trade targets that is growing by the day.
Golden Knights With Bertuzzi
Tyler Bertuzzi- Jack Eichel- Mark Stone
Jonathan Marchessault- William Karlsson- Reilly Smith
Paul Cotter- Chandler Stephenson- Phil Kessel
Will Carrier- Nicolas Roy- Keegan Kolesar
Alec Martinez- Alex Pietrangelo
Brayden McNabb- Shea Theodore
Nicolas Hague- Zach Whitecloud
Logan Thompson/Adin Hill