Why Maple Leafs Additions Will Prove To Be Missing Pieces Of Puzzle

"So I've been on record about how I think that even though Bertuzzi might start with Matthews and Marner for the Toronto Maple Leafs, I think Domi's gonna come swipe that spot, and I think he's the one who's gonna ride with it throughout the season and into the playoffs. But that doesn't mean that I don't think Tyler Bertuzzi is a fit like a glove, incredible signing for the Leafs. I do think he's going to be an absolute tailor-made perfect second liner for John Tavares and William Nylander, with the occasional option to slip him up with Matthews and Marner to add some sandpaper. The more I think about this, the more I adore this because I mean you lose Michael Bunting to the Carolina Hurricanes. A lot of people saw that coming in Leaf land; it was just kind of inevitable. You're gonna lose him, and I know a lot of people were sad about it, but a lot of people, including myself, were kind of ready to be like, 'Alright, well maybe the Leafs can replace him with somebody similar but who can do his job better than him,' and that's exactly what they did twofold by getting their two Z and Domi.

Now I've already talked at length about how I think that people aren't realizing how scary of a combo Domi, Matthews, and Marner is, or even just having Max Domi, a guy that bleeds Leaf blue and, according to Elliot Friedman, wants to do basically anything to stay with the Leafs going forward. That is so scary for opposing teams in the Atlantic Division. You can check that video if you want. But I think Tyler Bertuzzi's a similar story. I mean, look, I do think there's a very real possibility that, look, he's on a one-year deal. I think Leafs fans will fall in love with him because Toronto sports fans have a tendency to fall in love with this type of player, gritty, hard-nosed like this, who can score. And I think he might break a lot of Leafs fans' hearts and go somewhere else next year in free agency for a more locked-up big payday type contract that the Leafs just simply won't be able to give him unless they move somebody like Nylander. But that's a video for another day.

But I don't think people realize how skilled Tyler Bertuzzi is. Yes, he's got some bite. People know he can score. He scored 30 goals with the Red Wings a couple of years back, and he had an incredible first-round playoffs with the Bruins this past year. So people know he can put the puck in the net and that he's tough. But that's pretty much it, right? No, man, this guy's got silky smooth hands. He's actually got a really, almost elite hockey IQ, and similar to how people felt about his uncle Todd, he is surprisingly way more skilled than a lot of people think he is and can do a lot more than put the puck in the net at a decent pace and be an enforcer.

I'm seeing a few outlets say that the Toronto Maple Leafs got worse this offseason, and look, obviously when you lose guys like Ryan O'Reilly, Luke Schenn, good players that play up in your lineup, it's gonna hurt. But hey, signings like this and even the Klingberg signing, I love. I don't think they got worse at all. I think that it was very savvy, and these are pieces that, okay, it's not just good players they brought in; they're like missing puzzle pieces that Brad Shawling went out and got that I think are really, really gonna help this team. And to me, Bertuzzi's right at the top of that list with Max Domi. Let me know what you think about this in the comments down below. I'll see you in the next one. Peace out."