Kyle Davidson’s decision to bring in Tyler Bertuzzi left plenty of Blackhawks fans scratching their heads at first. Bertuzzi had already established himself as a useful NHL player, but the fit in Chicago wasn’t obvious to everyone.
One season later, that skepticism looks a lot different. After a strong debut year, Bertuzzi took a major leap and finished with the kind of production that only Connor Bedard topped.
The numbers tell the story fast. Bertuzzi scored 32 goals in 79 games, leading the Blackhawks in goals and finishing second on the team in points with 58. That came after a 23-goal, 46-point first season in Chicago, which makes the jump even more striking for an age-31 player.
A big chunk of that damage came on the power play, where Bertuzzi scored 11 times. He made a living right around the blue paint, turning passes into goals with tips and quick finishes at the back door.
He’s not the fastest skater and he’s not going to win a beauty contest with his shot, but he knows exactly where his office is and he works it better than most. That kind of net-front scoring gave Chicago a real lift.
The contract looks even better now, too. Bertuzzi has two more seasons left at $5.5 million, and that price feels like a steal for what he’s bringing. He should remain a regular top-9 option in 2026-27, and there’s every reason to expect another productive year.
The grades from the Blackhawks’ evaluators were glowing across the board. Blackhawks Cowboy gave Bertuzzi an A+ after calling it his best NHL season and pointing to his 32 goals and 26 assists for 58 points. That grade also credited Bertuzzi for thriving with Connor Bedard on the power play, producing even while spending plenty of time away from Chicago’s stars, and helping open things up for Anton Frondell late in the year.
Tony Marchese handed out an A, praising Bertuzzi’s career-high goal total and the nearly 18:30 per night he logged under new head coach Jeff Blashill. Marchese also zeroed in on the same thing that made Bertuzzi so valuable all season: the willingness to live in the dirty areas and score the hard way.
Ron Luce also gave Bertuzzi an A, calling him a spark plug for the Blackhawks and noting that his 32 goals and second-highest point total ever made him one of Kyle Davidson’s best free-agent signings. Luce added that Bertuzzi’s game around the crease made him such a problem, with his work station basically parked within five feet of the opposing net.
What comes next is still a little open. Bertuzzi could wind up back alongside Connor Bedard, or he could end up on the second line with Anton Frondell. Either way, the Blackhawks have two more seasons of Bertuzzi on the books, and he looks set to remain a major part of the lineup.
In Other News...
What Really Helped Convince Connor Bedard The Blackhawks Are Serious
Connor Bedards long-term future in Chicago came into sharper focus after the Blackhawks made a move that signaled they are trying to build something more than just a promising young core. The addition of Bowen Byram gave the organization another proven piece to pair with its rising talent, and it did not go unnoticed by the franchise center as contract talks moved toward an extension.
What stood out most was how the deal seemed to reinforce the message the Blackhawks have been trying to send: this is not a rebuild stuck in neutral. Bedard has been looking for signs that the team is serious about winning sooner rather than later, and the Byram trade appears to have helped answer at least part of that question, even if the full story behind the extension is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Connor Bedard Just Added Fuel To Patrick Kane Buzz
Connor Bedards new long-term deal with the Blackhawks locked in the face of the franchise, but it also gave Chicago another reminder of how much star power still matters around this rebuild. With Patrick Kane still on the market, Bedard made it clear he would welcome the chance to share the ice with the former Blackhawks icon again, adding a little more intrigue to a name that never really leaves the conversation in Chicago.
For a team trying to turn promise into something bigger, the idea of Kane coming back carries obvious appeal beyond nostalgia. Bedards comments only sharpened that buzz, since a reunion would give the Blackhawks a proven veteran presence and one of the leagues most recognizable returning storylines, even as the final landing spot for Kane remains unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Quietly Made A Move That May Have Helped Bedard Commit
The Blackhawks summer work has not been only about roster fit and cap planning. Their acquisition of Bowen Byram also appears to have carried a quieter benefit, one tied to Connor Bedard and the long-standing connection between the two. In a league where star players notice everything around them, Chicagos move seems to have resonated beyond the blue line and into the bigger picture of keeping its franchise centerpiece comfortable with the direction of the team.
Byrams arrival may have mattered in a way that does not show up in the box score, giving the Blackhawks another layer of value from a deal that was already about improving the lineup. For a rebuilding club trying to convince Bedard that the next steps are worth taking together, those kinds of details can matter just as much as the on-ice ones, and this is one of the reasons the move drew attention inside the organization. [Read more 🡒]