The Detroit Red Wings aren’t ready to compete just yet, but the goal heading into the season was to play meaningful games in March. That can still happen, but the trade deadline is also at the beginning of March. There is uncertainty with a few of the team’s UFAs and if deals can’t be struck, Steve Yzerman may very well decide to trade them off. Who we are focusing on here is Tyler Bertuzzi and a few potential landing spots if he is traded at the deadline.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights will now be without captain Mark Stone for the foreseeable future. He is listed as week-to-week with a back injury which is an injury a team wouldn’t want to rush a player back from. In the case the Golden Knights hold Stone out until he is absolutely ready to return, they will have a lot of cap space to work with at the deadline. Stone has a cap hit of $9.5 million that could be freed up for the team to use.
The team could essentially go out and get two good players for their run and hope Stone is back for the playoffs, utilizing the LTIR strategy that has come in handy for teams in the past. Bertuzzi has a cap hit of $4.75 million for the remainder of the season and the Golden Knights have never been afraid of making the big moves to give themselves the best chance to win. He scored 30 goals and 62 points in 68 games last season, but has just one goal and five points in 14 games this season.
Dallas Stars
Health is of course a concern for a team acquiring Bertuzzi, but the Dallas Stars could use exactly what this player could bring to the table in a playoff run. He is in his sixth year in the NHL and hasn’t been able to experience playoff hockey yet, but his nasty style of play would suit it perfectly.
The Stars don’t have a lot of cap space to work with, but do have some players that they would like to ship out in order to make room. Denis Gurianov and Radek Faksa are two players that haven’t contributed much this season to the success of the team and are earning around $3 million. If one of them is returned to the Red Wings along with a nice asset and a bit of cap is retained, a deal could get done.
New York Rangers
It is no secret that the New York Rangers are looking for a top-six winger at the deadline this season. They may have to take a look around the league and see who would help push them as far as they went in the playoffs as last season. Bertuzzi hits, plays hard, can score, and can put up points if he could only shake the injuries he’s suffered recently.
Related: Rangers Have Backup Plans if They Can’t Trade for Patrick Kane
The Rangers have been relying on a number of their young forwards to complement the top players, but it has been tough sledding. A player with the ability to score like Bertuzzi playing alongside Artemi Panarin could be a deadly combo for a cheaper price than other players out there.
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