TORONTO – Don’t judge an architect before his building is complete.
The emotional roller coaster that is life outside the Toronto Maple Leafs dipped sharply Saturday, when some of free agency’s most intriguing players walked out the door for free and concern over a step back in talent grew.
Well, new GM Brad Treliving saved his biggest UFA swing for Day 2.
Down in the count Sunday, Treliving knocked one deep by signing Tyler Bertuzzi — the best UFA available following the initial 24 hours of madness — for significantly less term than the power forward and agent Todd Reynolds were hunting on the open market.
The 28-year-old, top-six winger signed a one-year pact for $5.5 million and should have no issue eating the minutes and potting the goals lost by Michael Bunting, who joined Carolina for four years at $4.5 million per.
Bolstered by the deep pockets in Toronto, Treliving was allowed to hand Bertuzzi $4.725 million of his salary upfront and threw in a no-movement clause for good measure.
While Bertuzzi preferred term in the wake of multiple injuries and an expiring bridge deal — and told both former teams, the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins as much — the one-year bet with a contender is a smart play.
The Sudbury native and Guelph Storm graduate returns to Ontario to play in front of a large media market and fanbase that can boost one’s profile to financial gain. (Ask Zach Hyman or Luke Schenn or Jack Campbell or Ilya Mikheyev or Justin Holl or…)
Bertuzzi — a 30-goal, 62-point threat in 2021-22, his last (mostly) healthy season — should also receive power-play time and a chance to mesh with superstars Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner.
The Maple Leafs have long had eyes for Bertuzzi, who plays with an edge, drives the net, doesn’t shy from puck battles, and can covert in tight.
Bertuzzi was excellent for the Bruins in the 2023 postseason, his first taste of the playoffs after 326 regular-season games. He scored five goals and added five assists in Boston’s first-round loss to the Florida Panthers.
GM Don Sweeney took a run at re-signing his rental but determined the price was too high.
Well, Bertuzzi’s brand certainly falls in line with the competitive identity Treliving is trying to balance with Toronto’s skill and should douse a little more fire on the already-hot Atlantic Division rivalry that is Leafs-Bruins.
The way many Leafs fans felt about the departures of Schenn, Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari is how Boston fans are feeling now.
Following the Bertuzzi signing, the Maple Leafs have approximately $586,550 in cap space if/when they place Jake Muzzin on long-term injured reserve.
They still need to sign RFA goaltender Ilya Samsonov.
Of course, there are still ways for the active Treliving (trades, buyout) to create more space and further put his stamp on the design of this team.
On paper, this is a wonderful fit for both the Bertuzzi and the club.
And just like that, with a few pen strokes, the roller coaster swings upward.