Tyler Bertuzzi

Lore & Background

Bertuzzi played junior hockey for the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he was drafted in the fourth round, 78th overall, in 2011. He became known for playing tough, recording six fights in his first nine games. He helped Guelph win the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions in 2014 and led the Memorial Cup with five goals in four games, though the Storm lost the final to the Edmonton Oil Kings. He was named an assistant captain for Guelph in the 2014–15 season and led the team in scoring with 98 points, earning a spot on the OHL's Second All-Star Team in 2015.

Bertuzzi was signed to a three-year entry-level contract by the Detroit Red Wings on October 17, 2014, and assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. He made his NHL debut on November 8, 2016, in a 3–2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. He recorded his first NHL point on December 27, 2017, assisting on a goal by Justin Abdelkader, and his first NHL goal on January 14, 2018, against Jeff Glass of the Chicago Blackhawks. In the 2018–19 season, he became the first Red Wings player to record four consecutive three-point games, finishing with 21 goals and 47 points in 73 games. He was selected to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game. Injuries limited him to nine games in the 2020–21 season due to back surgery, and he broke his hand twice during the 2022–23 season, appearing in only 29 games.

On March 2, 2023, Bertuzzi was traded to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in the 2024 NHL entry draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL entry draft. He made his Bruins debut on March 4, playing on a line with Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic, and recorded his first point with the team by assisting on Coyle's goal. He scored his first goal for Boston on March 23 against Jake Allen of the Montreal Canadiens. In 21 regular-season games with the Bruins, he scored four goals and 16 points. The Bruins entered the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Reader's Guide

Tyler Bertuzzi's tenure with the Boston Bruins was brief but notable as a mid-season acquisition at the 2023 trade deadline. The Bruins, who finished as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, added Bertuzzi to bolster their forward depth. In 21 regular-season games, he contributed four goals and 16 points, playing primarily on a line with Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic. His arrival came at the cost of a conditional first-round pick in 2024 and a fourth-round pick in 2025, reflecting the team's win-now approach. Bertuzzi's physical style, developed during his junior career with the Guelph Storm where he was known for fighting and playing tough, added an edge to Boston's lineup. His time in Boston was part of a larger NHL career that included a Calder Cup championship with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2017, where he was named playoff MVP, and an NHL All-Star Game selection in 2020. After the 2022–23 season, Bertuzzi moved on to the Toronto Maple Leafs and later became an alternate captain for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Did You Know?

• He recorded his first career hat-trick on January 12, 2019, against Devan Dubnyk of the Minnesota Wild.
• Bertuzzi led the Memorial Cup with five goals in four games in 2014, though his team lost the final.

Junior Grit and OHL Championship Runs

Bertuzzi's path through the Ontario Hockey League with the Guelph Storm was defined by toughness and resilience. Picked in the fourth round of the 2011 OHL draft, he announced himself as a physical competitor early, engaging in six fights during his first nine games of the 2011-12 season. Recurring injuries to his shoulder, neck, and head, however, derailed his development, costing him 25 games in 2012-13 and limiting him to just 29 appearances the following year. Despite those setbacks, he emerged as a dominant force in 2013-14, helping Guelph capture the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions. Across 18 playoff games he tallied ten goals, seven assists, and a remarkable +24 rating. That postseason momentum carried into the Memorial Cup, where he led all tournament scorers with five goals in four games before the Storm fell to the Edmonton Oil Kings in the final. By 2014-15 he had become an assistant captain, finished tenth in the OHL in scoring with 98 points across all 68 games, and earned a spot on the league's Second All-Star Team.

AHL Breakout and Calder Cup MVP

Before cementing his place in the NHL, Bertuzzi built a formidable reputation with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit's AHL affiliate. His professional journey began in April 2015 with a debut goal against Lake Erie's Calvin Pickard, and he quickly proved his playoff mettle, adding seven goals and 12 points across 14 Calder Cup games that spring. The 2016-17 season represented his true breakout. After splitting time between Grand Rapids and brief stints with Detroit, he erupted in the 2017 Calder Cup playoffs, posting nine goals and ten assists in 19 games to guide the Griffins to the championship. His performance earned him the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the tournament's most valuable player, and his 23 career playoff goals set a new franchise record for the Griffins. That run cemented his identity as a clutch performer who elevated his game when the stakes were highest, laying the groundwork for his eventual NHL arrival.

NHL Breakout and the Yzerman Streak

Bertuzzi's NHL arrival was gradual, with his first call-up to Detroit arriving in November 2016 after Thomas Vanek was placed on injured reserve. His debut in a 3-2 win over Philadelphia was followed by a return to the AHL, and it took until December 2017 for him to secure a more permanent spot. His first NHL goal came against Chicago's Jeff Glass in January 2018, and his first hat-trick arrived on January 12, 2019, against Minnesota's Devan Dubnyk. His defining moment, however, came in late March 2019, when he recorded three consecutive three-point games, a feat no Red Wings player had accomplished since Steve Yzerman in 1992-93. That streak included his first career overtime goal against Buffalo, a one-goal-two-assist night against New Jersey, and a three-assist performance against Boston. He followed it with two goals and an assist against Pittsburgh on April 2, becoming the first player in franchise history to post four straight three-point games. For that week he was named the NHL's Second Star, sharing the league lead with three goals and seven assists in four games.

From 58th Pick to Alternate Captain

Bertuzzi's trajectory from a 58th overall draft pick to an NHL alternate captain reflects a career built on steady accumulation rather than a single flash of brilliance. Selected by Detroit in 2013, he spent nearly a decade with the Red Wings, developing through the AHL before earning a permanent NHL role. His tenure with Detroit spanned from his 2014 entry-level contract through 2023, during which he signed a two-year extension in June 2018 and evolved from a depth forward into a reliable two-way contributor. After his time in Detroit, he played for the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs before arriving in Chicago, where he now serves as a left winger and alternate captain for the Blackhawks. His path through four NHL franchises reflects a player who valued organizational stability and earned leadership roles through consistent effort. Born on February 24, 1995, in Canada, Bertuzzi's career arc from a physical OHL kid fighting in his first nine games to a seasoned NHL leader illustrates how perseverance and toughness can shape a long professional career.

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