(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Thursday evening, the Detroit Red Wings placed forward Tyler Bertuzzi on Injured Reserve for the second time in two months. Bertuzzi missed the first month of the season due to a broken hand after being hit with a puck in the second game of the regular season.
In a contest against the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday evening, Bertuzzi was hit by not-so-friendly fire. Bertuzzi was hit on the hand/wrist with a slap shot from teammate Ben Chiarot. Bertuzzi immediately left the ice, slamming his stick against the boards before heading to the Detroit Red Wings locker room for further examination. Bertuzzi would return to the bench but could not take a shift as the game went into overtime and eventually settled in a shootout due to a stellar game-winning goal by Buffalo forward Jack Quinn.
Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi lands back on injured reserve.
Tyler Bertuzzi can’t seem to catch a break. No pun intended. The pending unrestricted free agent finds himself on the shelf once again. There have been rumors swirling for years now about Bertuzzi’s future with the organization and if he fits general manager (GM) Steve Yzerman’s long-term plans. Another injury only complicates things.
If the Detroit Red Wings hope to re-sign the 27-year-old, will the rich injury history, especially the broken hands/wrists over the years, impact what Yzerman is willing to pay? If the Detroit Red Wings elect to move on from Bertuzzi and trade him ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, will the injury history affect what a Stanley Cup contender is willing to give up for his services?
Bertuzzi is coming off a career year with the Red Wings recording 30 goals and 62 points over 68 games. The year prior, Bertuzzi appeared in just nine games, and this season he’s recorded one goal and four points over nine games.
The Detroit Red Wings have recalled forward Austin Czarnik from Grand Rapids. Czarnik, 29, recorded one goal in four games earlier this season for the Red Wings playing on the fourth line. The Detroit native has recorded 14 points, including six goals over 12 games this season with the Grand Rapids Griffins.