? I didn?t write about each UFA for the Leafs, but the one that I would most like to bring back (by far) is Tyler Bertuzzi. He might not have produced as much as fans hoped, nor is he a bruising, physical power forward (at least in the regular season; I thought he was very physical in the playoffs). However, he was a difference-maker for me.
A few things stood out with Bertuzzi when I went through the 2023-24 season. The Bertuzzi ? Tavares ? Nylander line was the Leafs? best for the first half of the campaign. When the Leafs broke records on the man advantage in February, Bertuzzi was on the top power-play unit. Towards the end of the season, the Bertuzzi ? Matthews ? Domi line emerged as their best line. Therefore, Bertuzzi was on the Leafs? best line for most of the season, and the power play was at its best with him on it.
Bertuzzi?s game can be tough to watch at times, but he does many things right, some of which go under-appreciated. He creates space for teammates along the walls, is effective in front of the net, and isn?t a liability defensively. With his work either in front of the net or on the forecheck (or both), there were more than a handful of goals he had a major hand in without collecting a point. The Leafs can and did trust him to close games.