We now begin the list of players who are either NHL hopefuls, or full-time roster players in the NHL. After a string of success in the junior league, and professional level, Tyler Bertuzzi finds himself among the very top.
The Vitals
Position: LW/RW
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 190 lbs
Shoots: Left
Born: 2/24/95
Birthplace: Sudbury, ON, Canada
Drafted: 2013, 2nd round, 58th overall
Current Team: Detroit Red Wings
2017-2018 statline: 48 GP, 7 goals, 17 assists
There has been a lot of criticism against Ken Holland and his crew, and rightfully so… But Tyler Bertuzzi should be a reminder of what a diligent and bold scouting team has done to bolster a team that has been in the quicksands of competitiveness for years now.
On Draft day, the Red Wings traded back a few spots in the 1st round with the San Jose Sharks in exchange for their 1st round pick, and a 2nd round pick. With that 1st round pick, they took Anthony Mantha (I have a feeling you’ll see him at some point in this series), and with the 2nd round pick, they took Tyler Bertuzzi. Here’s a fun fact for you — The Red Wings went W-A-A-A-A-A-Y off the chart taking Bertuzzi at 58th overall. If you look at the ever-so-flawed NHL CSS ranking for 2013, you’ll see that Tyler Bertuzzi, a breakout player in not only the junior league, but AHL and NHL, was ranked among the bottom-five at #207.
Just over a year ago, Tyler Bertuzzi played a huge role in clinching the Calder Cup for the Griffins. He had a late game-tying goal, which sums up him as a player — a clutch, role-player that everyone loves to have on their team. Let’s not forget how Bertuzzi factored into clinching the most-recent Calder Cup title for the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Betuzzi has a lot of his uncle in him. Not so much the controversial part, but mostly that he is a chippy, hard-nosed player who will go to the front of the net and clean up the trash for his team. Not to mention, who can’t love that smile and wavy flow?
Tyler Bertuzzi has stepped into the NHL as an immediate impact player who quickly found himself playing on the top line. If you’re a Red Wings fan, I don’t need to go into detail on why Bertuzzi is ranked where he is.. Simply put, he has stepped into every level with a swagger and dominance that not many prospects do. He’s what the front office would call an ‘ever-dayer’ and player than fans don’t have a hard time loving.
We see Bertuzzi as a clear-cut two-way winger for the long run with the Red Wings.
Do you agree with Tyler Bertuzzi’s ranking?
| Yes | 556 |
| No, he should be higher | 96 |
| No, he should be lower | 122 |
WIIM Top 25 Under 25 Rankings So Far
7. Filip Hronek
8. Evgeny Svechnikov
9. Dennis Cholowski
10. Joe Veleno
11. Joe Hicketts
12. David Pope
13. Martin Frk
14. Jonattan Berggren
15. Givani Smith
16. Vili Saarijarvi
17. Keith Petruzelli
18. Dominic Turgeon
19. Gustav Lindstrom
20. Jared McIsaac
21. Filip Larsson
22. Christoffer Ehn
23. Alec Regula
24. Axel Holmstrom
25. Jack Adams
