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Unleash Bertuzzi
by IwoCPO on 03/04/07 at 09:31 AM ET
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The day after the deadline we saw the predictable column of outrage from the Delicate Genius, Mitch Albom. It was precisely the formula he’s followed the last five years: ignore the Wings until an event occurs that makes it impossible not to write something, anything; then scribble out a few paragraphs with no original thought, and certainly nothing that would require a trip to the Joe.
Helene St. James took a more deliberate approach. Yes, she covered it from a hard-news angle, reporting the trade and the initial reaction. But she held off a few days before dropping a feature on us, which she’s done today. And it paid off for her. First thing I’ll point you to is a move I absolutely agree with. Get the guy signed, and sign him long-term.
Bertuzzi can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, but in many ways staying in Detroit would be ideal. Bertuzzi spends summers in Kitchener, Ontario, a few hours’ drive. With the Wings, he’s expected to contribute to their success, not create it. He could help offset the likely loss of big forward Robert Lang and the potential loss of playmaking forward Pavel Datsyuk.
Bertuzzi doesn’t have much to say yet, because so much hinges on his back. The Wings already are campaigning for him to re-sign; that, at least, is the message sent by captain Nicklas Lidstrom on Bertuzzi’s first day.
“I just told him, welcome to the team,” Lidstrom said. “Hopefully he’ll stay here for a long time.”
I’ve got a hunch. I’ve got a hunch that this move is going to be huge. Bertuzzi, had he stayed in Florida, may have been playing by now. That was the chatter leading up to the deadline. Remember? He was supposed to play last Thursday. The Wings are going to stretch out his rehab as far as they can, but I’m betting he’s pretty damn close to healthy. And, he’s going to be a bull in a china shop when he’s finally allowed to suit up.
I’ve got a hunch that Chris Chelios is already in his ear, telling Bertuzzi that the player the Wings need is the abrasive, violent, ass-kicking, immovable force that we saw in Vancouver in ‘02.
And if we get that kind of player?
“He was unreal when he was here in Vancouver,” Naslund said. “He might be the most exciting player they’ve seen here, even more so than Pavel Bure and Alexander Mogilny. He brings so much more than scoring, because he can hit and make plays.”
Somehow, somebody’s gotta let this guy loose. If there’s baggage up there, someone’s gotta shake it and convince Bertuzzi that the most fun he ever had were the years he struck fear into all six opposing players, each for different reasons.
The Wings need Bertuzzi to be reckless and hungry. Violent and tenacious. Healthy first, of course, but after that? Let Dr. Chelios handle it from there.
Filed in: Hating Todd Bertuzzi May Mean You're A Hypocrite | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
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I’m not gonna lie, Bill, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around this trade. The Wings are willing to bring in anybody who can help them win—the deadline rush of 99, when they pulled in Ulfie Samuelsson, Wendell “I was Probie’s sparring partner” Clark, and Chris Chelios (aka “I attempted to maim every one of my new teammates”)—and I think people forget that this has happened again and again.
Todd Gill, Jamie Macoun, Bob Rouse? It took ‘em a while, but the Wings rounded up half of the 93 Leafs’ defence.
Larionov and Errey drove Scotty Bowman nuts in 1994, and they were Wings soon after.
I don’t know if anybody even remembers how Kirk Maltby made his reputation as a visor-wearing, instigating punk with the Oilers—or his tussles with Paul Coffey—before we acquired him.
People forget that Shanahan was as much of a Wings nemesis as Hull in the mid 90’s, and Robitaille played a huge part in the 01 ouster of the Wings, and was always a Wing-killer.
Bringing in guys who beat you is a Devellano trademark, going back to his decisions to acquire Bob McGill and even Bernie Federko (trading current assistant coach Paul MacLean—that one was stupid) and Borje Salming. If they drove you nuts with their dirty play (see: The Maple Leaf three D, Maltby, Clark, Chelios), even better.
Bertuzzi did quite a bit of his damage against us, and at the price he was acquired for, that’s a deal you can’t pass up.
Is he a nice guy? No, but the Wings aren’t paying him to be a nice guy. They want him to recapture that pre-Moore recklessness, bang and crash the hell out of the opposition, and re-sign. Your tag is spot-on—if you absolutely hate this guy, or if you didn’t see this coming, you may be a hypocrite.
Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 03/04/07 at 09:36 PM ET