In an offseason where the Toronto Maple Leafs will work to strengthen their blueline and goaltending, deciding how much to spend on the forward group will be peculiar.
The Leafs have one right-handed defenceman under contract, Conor Timmins, and will presumably spend some big bucks to reinforce the blueline that struggled last year. And with Joseph Woll’s injury history, they might be best suited to shore out some cash to a netminder, as well.
This hampers their ability to spend big on forwards, but the group as currently constructed isn’t deep enough (stop me if you’ve heard that before). Shipping a big contract out might help, but there’s no guarantee that happens. At this point, it seems unlikely.
Working under the assumption Max Domi is brought back for around $4M, the Leafs will have to think hard about what kind of money they want to spend on Tyler Bertuzzi.
Recent reports indicate the two sides are talking, and throw out numbers around $4.75M. This is a solid number from a pure value perspective, but the Leafs need to be wary of overspending on the forward group and again leaving the defence core stranded.
With that being said, Bertuzzi is a very good player who was one of the Leafs best forwards last season. If he walks, a large gap in the forward group will need to be filled. Whether Treliving feels he can find similar production from a smaller contract is the question.
Reasons they should bring him back
While Bertuzzi had a fairly up-and-down season, he still ended up with over 20 goals for the fourth time in his career. He’s a known offensive producer who can slot in the Leafs top six and play well, something Toronto has struggled to find (and keep) in the Matthews era.
He has a fairly high ceiling, and though he plays a very unique style of hockey, could end up close to a point per game with 30 goals. For around $5M, that kind of production would be fantastic.
Bertuzzi also brings qualities the rest of the forwards don’t really have. He does his work around the net, not along the perimeter, and isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty battling defencemen or goalies in the crease. He found a lot of success playing this role on a line with Domi and Matthews to end the year, and the Leafs might be interested in bringing both of them back to keep that trio together.
Watching Bertuzzi can be hilarious, and his way of playing sometimes leaves you scratching your head. But he makes it work, and has a good enough track record that Treliving probably doesn’t see too much risk in bringing him back.
At 29, Bertuzzi doesn’t come with a huge risk of falling off. He should be able to play at a similar level for at least the next couple of years. Having Domi, Matthews, and Bertuzzi all locked up to form the first line for the next three or four years could be very appealing to Treliving, forming some stability the Leafs haven’t had recently.
Last postseason wasn’t his best, but part of the appeal with Bertuzzi is the 10-point first round series he played in 2022–23. It’s no secret the Leafs can’t score in the playoffs, and Bertuzzi plays a style that seems to work come April. He effectively annoyed Brad Marchand in the Leafs loss to the Boston Bruins, which no other Leaf is capable of.
He’s also a great option for a power play spot assuming John Tavares’ role is cut down this season. Toronto needs a net-front guy badly, and Bertuzzi is probably their best option for that role. Once again, the playoffs spell disaster for the Leafs top unit. Replacing Tavares with Bertuzzi would help, seeing as he scored three goals with three assists on the man advantage in Boston’s seven-game loss to the Florida Panthers two seasons ago.
And not for nothing, the boys seem to love him. The Leafs culture could use some consistency and togetherness, and bringing back both Domi and Bertuzzi would help that. Whether it’s worth it to spend more on “team culture” is up for Treliving to decide, but I’m sure the players would appreciate some stability.
Would it be worth it?
Even if the value is there, spending almost $5M on a forward while the defence core looks as it does is risky.
The Leafs need to fill multiple spots on the back end, and a $5M defenceman is probably more valuable than a $5M forward. Many defensive options are hitting free agency, and saving money to try and lure a big fish like Brandon Montour or Chris Tanev could be Treliving’s strategy.
To form a contending blueline, the Leafs will need to find at least two impact defencemen. That’s going to cost a lot, and using up almost $10M before free agency even starts on Domi and Bertuzzi could end up extremely costly.
It’s not a slight on the player, just a reality the Leafs have to live with while paying four guys over $40M, especially when all of them are forwards. The defence core should be the priority, and that means sacrificing a bit up front.
If Bertuzzi ends up elsewhere, the Leafs will need to find bargain deals or hope Nicholas Robertson or Matthew Knies can step up and play in the top six consistently. Knies will get there eventually, but struggled in a first-line role this year. He did have a fantastic playoffs, though, and could take Bertuzzi’s role soon enough.
Anything at $5M or under is a good contract for Bertuzzi. But the way the Leafs are built, he still might be priced out.
Thoughts and predictions
With the recent chatter surrounding Bertuzzi, I do think he’ll come back. And while he helps the forward group a ton, hopefully sticking to the first line and playing with Matthews and Domi, I get the sense the defence core might still look a bit misshapen come next season.
I’m sure Treliving will be happy with a four year, $20M contract, and I think most of Leaf Nation will be, too. We’ve seen what Bertuzzi can do, and he’s the kind of player Toronto fans love.
The big question is how bringing him back affects the rest of the team, and Treliving should give a lot of thought to how he wants to construct the Leafs defence and goaltending next year before signing Bertuzzi. Leafs fans might not be able to handle another season with a middling blueline.
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