In order for the Detroit Red Wings to return to the playoffs anytime soon, recent draft picks are going to have to pan out in a big way. And one that's made a formidable impression at the AHL level is Tyler Bertuzzi, who was named Calder Cup Playoffs MVP after helping the Grand Rapids Griffins capture the league championship Tuesday.
If goaltender Jared Coreau has any say, Bertuzzi - nephew of former Wing Todd Bertuzzi - will be a mainstay in the organization for years to come.
"We call him Playoff Bert," Coreau told Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. "I don't know if it's just his style of play or his will to win, or his eagerness to win, but he just performs. He performs when it counts. He could have five points throughout the year but then have the playoffs he did. I'd keep him around forever."
How he got there
Drafted 58th overall in 2013, Bertuzzi made the jump to the Griffins in 2015 following a successful run with the OHL's Guelph Storm that included an OHL championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup Final the year before.
Over the past three postseasons, he's been a huge performer, setting a Griffins record for all-time playoff goals.
Year
Games
Goals
Assists
Points
2015
14
7
5
12
2016
9
7
1
8
2017
19
9
10
19
TOTAL
42
23
16
39
Those playoff numbers mark a great uptick over his regular-season production: In 121 games with the Griffins, he's registered 25 goals and 43 assists for a total of 68 points.
Yes, that means he's almost scored the same amount of goals in the playoffs as in the regular season, but in 79 fewer games.
Playoff Bert, indeed.
What's next?
In keeping with general manager Ken Holland's philosophy of bringing Wings prospects along slowly, Bertuzzi has appeared in only seven games at the NHL level, failing to record his first career point.
As St. James notes, his contract has him set to start next season back in the AHL, although he'd be in line for a quick promotion:
Bertuzzi, 22, a bonus second-round pick from the 2013 draft (the Wings got a second second-round pick when they moved down two spots in the first round and still got their target, Anthony Mantha) can be sent down without waivers. That leaves him vulnerable to start the season, but injuries happen, and if he doesn't make it from day one, he's certain to top the depth chart.
Mantha, by the way, was selected 20th overall in 2013, and appeared in 132 games for the Griffins before making the full-time jump to the Wings. Bertuzzi's long stay in the AHL, then, isn't abnormal in this organization.
The Red Wings, of course, missed out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year for the first time in 25 seasons, and the outlook for 2017-18 is somewhat bleak.
When this team does return to relevance, however, count on Playoff Bert upping his game when it matters most.
Shane Doan has officially played for just one organization in his 21-year career, making him one of nine players in NHL history to do so.
A free agent on July 1, Doan could be interested in extending his run.
"He hasn't made a final decision, but I think he's leaning toward playing one more year; I think he's going to play," Doan's agent Terry Bross said, according to Craig Morgan of ArizonaSports.com. "His body feels good, he loves the game, and he loves the players."
Doan spent his rookie season with the original rendition of the Winnipeg Jets in 1995-96 and has since spent 20 years with the Phoenix and Arizona Coyotes. He has served as the team's captain since 2003, making him the current longest-tenured taker of ceremonial faceoffs in the league. His seven franchise records include goals, assists, and points.
In many ways, the 2016-17 season was the worst of Doan's career. He scored just six goals in 74 games, after potting 28 in 72 games a year ago. He finished the season with 27 points, his lowest full-season total since 1998-99. His average 15:03 of ice time per game was his lowest since the '98-'99 season.
Doan plans on speaking more with his family before making a decision, according to Bross. The free-agent-to-be would then need to meet with Coyotes general manager John Chayka in order to see if he still fits in with the team's plans.
Doan's decision is expected prior to the NHL Draft over the weekend of June 23-24, when Arizona will look to inject even more young talent into their roster.
Chris Neil has only ever called one NHL city home.
The 16-year veteran has played all of his 1,026 games in an Ottawa Senators uniform, but that number won't hit 1,027. That's because Neil and the Senators agreed to go their separate ways on Wednesday, with the gritty forward now looking elsewhere for employment.
"They had a meeting with him and told him, ‘We don’t think you’re going to be happy with this role,'" Neil’s agent, Todd Reynolds, told Postmedia.
"Neil said, ‘Yeah, I don’t think I would be either and it’s probably not what I’d like to endure for a year.’ (They agreed), 'Let’s just mutually go our separate ways here and see if something better is out there for you where they’re going to give you eight, nine, or 10 minutes a night possibly.'"
Neil suited up for just 53 games last season, while tallying four points to go along with 63 penalty minutes.
Despite his lack of influence on the stat sheet, Neil was a fan favorite in Ottawa, endearing himself to the Senators faithful with his aggressive, team-first style.
The rugged winger finishes his time as a Senator with 2,522 career penalty minutes - good for top spot on Ottawa's all-time list.
The Pittsburgh Penguins' Stanley Cup victory parade and rally drew an estimated 650,000 people downtown. Not bad for a city that, officially, has only 305,000 residents.
The crowd estimate by city public works and public safety officials makes it the largest parade, by far, to turn out for any of the Penguins' five championships. Last year's parade drew about 400,000 people - the most up to that point - and officials predicted as many as 500,000 might turn out to celebrate the team's back-to-back championships.
This year's parade was different than last year's in that it ended at Point State Park, where a stage was set up so the team and coaches could address the fans.
Sunny weather and temperatures in the mid-80s helped the turnout.
Rob Gronkowski can appreciate a good sports movie - regardless of the sport.
The New England Patriots' star tight end payed tribute to "The Mighty Ducks" franchise on Wednesday with a little roller-hockey action as he enthusiastically pulled out the patented "Flying V" and finished it off by crushing a clapper.
The club will buy out the veteran defenseman's contract, ending his 11-year tenure in New York.
Girardi has a modified no-movement clause, meaning he would have had to have been protected by the Rangers in the upcoming expansion draft.
He originally carried a $5.5-million cap hit over each of the next three seasons, but will now be on the books for the next six years at a lower annual rate.
Dan Girardi's buyout cap hit, per @CapFriendly: 2017-18: $2.61M 18-19: $3.61M 19-20: $3.61M 20-21: $1.11M 21-22: $1.11M 22-23: $1.11M
Nashville Predators winger James Neal only managed to score once during his last 10 games of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but there was apparently a good reason for it.
According to the team, Neal broke his hand during Game 1 of the conference finals against the Anaheim Ducks, but managed to play through the pain and even scored the game-winning goal in overtime of that very same contest.
Neal would go on to play in the Predators' final 11 games, finishing the postseason with six goals and three assists.
June is an incredibly busy month for the NHL, but that doesn't mean we can't look ahead to what's coming. Free agency begins at 12 p.m. ET on July 1, and we're ranking the top 80 unrestricted free agents in a seven-post series ahead of the madness.
As we count down the UFA market from 20th to 11th, this veteran group ranks near the best of what may be available this summer:
20. Mike Condon (G)
Age on Oct. 1: 27 2016-17 Cap Hit: $575K
With starter Craig Anderson away from the Ottawa Senators to be with his ill wife, the subsequent acquisition of Condon proved to be a season-saver for the Sens.
Stepping into the Ottawa crease, Condon carried the ball for the Senators, including a stretch which saw the netminder make 27 straight appearances. For Condon, it marked the second time he has been thrust into the starter's job after taking over for an injured Carey Price while with the Montreal Canadiens a year ago.
Now facing the possibility of unrestricted free agency, Condon could cash in on his performance, but there are certainly no assurances he'll get an extended stay with the Senators.
19. Brendan Smith (D)
Age on Oct. 1: 28 2016-17 Cap Hit: $2.75M
A market-value contract should keep Smith on the New York Rangers' blue line. That was the stance from his agent, who in May stated Smith likes the Rangers and his role on the team, but he'll need to be shown the money.
Acquired from the Detroit Red Wings in a trade deadline deal that saw the Rangers part with a pair of draft choices, Smith impressed during his short showing in Manhattan. In the postseason, he was regularly relied on by coach Alain Vigneault, seeing the third-most ice time among New York defenders.
Early reports indicate it will take north of $4 million annually to keep Smith in New York, a substantial raise from his current cap hit of $2.75 million.
18. Patrick Marleau (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 38 2016-17 Cap Hit: $6.667M
Marleau has been the face of the Sharks since he was selected second overall in 1997, but the team could very well move on from its one-time captain.
Finishing with 27 goals last season, only Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski found the back of the net more often than Marleau. While he's still a contributor, a potential contract extension could pose complications. At 37 years old, it would be favorable for the Sharks to see Marleau accept a one-year deal. Any longer and San Jose runs the risk of an early retirement and being left on the hook for Marleau's cap hit (i.e. the next Pavel Datsyuk).
But in averaging 24 goals over the past three seasons, and not missing a game since 2008-09, Marleau could command a multi-year deal and the dollars to go with it. Still, cap concerns could force Marleau to accept a pay cut if he wishes to remain in the Bay Area.
17. Radim Vrbata (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 36 2016-17 Cap Hit: $1M
Vrbata has made it known he likes life in the desert. After struggling through the 2015-16 season with the Vancouver Canucks, the veteran winger returned for his third tour of duty with the Arizona Coyotes.
Agreeing a bonus-laden contract with Arizona, Vrbata earned a $1-million base salary that later doubled upon reaching games-played and point plateaus. By season's end, Vrbata led the Coyotes with 55 points.
That performance demonstrated that Vrbata hasn't lost his scoring touch. And while he is happy in the desert and is likely to re-sign with the Coyotes, he's proven himself this time around, meaning he's sure to aim for a condition-free contract.
16. Jaromir Jagr (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 45 2016-17 Cap Hit: $4M
Jagr could return to the Florida Panthers next season, but there is no urgency for the future Hall of Famer to put pen to paper.
While the Panthers missed the postseason, it was a successful campaign for Jagr, who surpassed Mark Messier for second all time in NHL scoring, while tallying 46 points to finish fourth in Florida scoring. This coming season, a clean bill of health from top forward Jonathan Huberdeau, who saw just 31 games in 2016-17, should go a long way in returning the Panthers to the playoff picture.
There's no doubt Jagr, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, wants to win, and he'll have a chance to do that next season with Florida.
15. Jonathan Bernier (G)
Age on Oct. 1: 29 2016-17 Cap Hit: $4.15M
Bernier is in a conundrum. He had a solid season, which normally means more money on a new deal; but the reality is that Bernier is sure to see a pay cut.
That's because his previous deal was signed when he was the No. 1 for the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was a different situation with the Anaheim Ducks, as Bernier played second fiddle to John Gibson.
While there are no assurances Bernier will return to Orange County, the likelihood is he'll only land a similar role elsewhere. At this stage, Bernier is a steady backup who can fill in for a struggling or injured starter. If Anaheim isn't an option, a few teams could add Bernier as part of a goaltending tandem.
14. Brian Elliott (G)
Age on Oct. 1: 32 2016-17 Cap Hit: $2.5M
It was a tale of two seasons in what was surely a short stay for Elliott in Calgary. Acquired from the St. Louis Blues last offseason, Elliott struggled through his early goings in Calgary, winning just three of his first 12 games in a Flames jersey.
That all changed down the season's stretch drive, with Elliott seemingly finding a comfort in Calgary as he rattled off 11 straight victories, pushing the Flames into the postseason for just the second time since 2009.
But in the playoffs, Elliott's play was forgettable, as the Flames were swept by the Ducks. It all came crashing down in Game 4, when Elliott lasted just six minutes, three shots, and one goal against before getting the early hook, effectively ending his time in Calgary.
13. Ryan Miller (G)
Age on Oct. 1: 37 2016-17 Cap Hit: $6M
The Canucks have expressed interest in bringing back Miller, and that feeling may be mutual, with Miller preferring life on the west coast. The issue lies in Vancouver's plans for the veteran netminder, which could see Miller slide into a secondary role behind up-and-comer Jacob Markstrom.
This despite Miller owning a save rate that outpaced not only Markstrom, but the likes of Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Jones, both highly regarded goalies on teams that qualified for the postseason. Not to mention their squads had far superior supporting casts when compared to the Canucks.
While Miller is unlikely to lock down a starter's role, odds are that he can find a situation better than Vancouver, which finished second to last in 2016-17. The 37-year-old remains on the lookout for his first Stanley Cup and he'll need to venture outside of British Columbia for a shot to win it all.
12. Justin Williams (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 35 2016-17 Cap Hit: $3.25M
"Mr. Game 7" should have plenty of suitors this offseason. The three-time Stanley Cup champion and 2014 Conn Smythe Trophy winner is one of many Washington Capitals eligible for unrestricted free agency, and that cap crunch could leave Williams looking elsewhere for work.
Williams had a solid season with the Capitals, potting 48 points, which ranks him among the top five right-wingers who could reach free agency. Meanwhile, his 24 goals sit third, behind only Patrick Eaves and teammate T.J. Oshie.
For teams seeking experience, particularly a veteran who often plays the playoff hero, they'd be hard-pressed to fare better than Williams.
11. Andrei Markov (D)
Age on Oct. 1: 38 2016-17 Cap Hit: $5.75M
It would be strange to see Markov suiting up in another uniform, but Montreal fans shouldn't worry. The career Canadien still fills a role for the Habs - that is, a veteran puck-mover on the left side of the blue line. In all likelihood, it's only a matter of time before Markov re-ups in Montreal.
Appearing in 62 games last season, Markov put together a 36-point campaign, second to only Shea Weber among Montreal defensemen. That averages to 0.58 points per game, consistent with Markov's production rate over the past three seasons.
Looking forward, the veteran blue-liner has earned a similar pay clip, but likely on a one-year term, given the restrictions of contracts signed after 35.
