Bertuzzi was a welcome addition to the Buds, having signed a one-year contract with the team in the previous summer. Since the Boston Bruins eliminated the Maple Leafs from the playoffs, his agent has communicated with them, and while Bertuzzi and his group remain optimistic that a trade will be reached, they are aware of the needs that the Maple Leafs have.
«We've had productive talks,» Todd Reynolds, the agent for Bertuzzi, said on Tuesday. «But the player realizes that there are other areas for the team to address. We'll see where it goes.»
The twenty-nine-year-old left winger made contributions with 22 goals and 21 assists in 80 games with the Maple Leafs. Still, for those with a little more skill on his line night in and night out, it was his tenacity, toughness, and ability to grind in the corners and not back down from anything that made all the difference.
In all honesty, though, having had Bertuzzi on the team for a season already has shown them what kind of player he can be. If the Maple Leafs can work out a long-term deal, both the player and the team stand to gain a great deal because it will mean they won't have to sit down to talk business for a while.
The Maple Leafs' ultimate objective is to win the Stanley Cup, and while Bertuzzi will undoubtedly want to increase his income to secure his financial future, it's also not a terrible idea to achieve the pinnacle of professional hockey.
