The Bertuzzi Conundrum

To re-sign or not to re-sign…

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It seems like just yesterday that Todd Bertuzzi was a points “machine” (use that word VERY loosely) for the Red Wings, inevitably causing many of us to start kicking around the idea of a new deal for Todd and Petrella to start worrying about the sanctity of his upcoming day of matrimonial bliss. Yes, Big Bert seemed to be the man of the hour fore the Red Wings, starting with his two goal performance against the Ducks on December 11th and wrapping up with a nice two goal Christmas gift on December 26th against the Blue Jackets. In that span, Bert also struck twice against the Predators, en route to landing himself 8 goals and 2 assists over an eight game stretch. Things were good in Bertuzziville.

Then, just like that, Bert came screaming back down to Earth. Some attribute it to the fact that the Wings started returning healthy players to the lineup, reducing Bert’s time on a line with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. Others just figured it to be a lack of scoring touch or not aligning well enough with the system. Whatever your thoughts, one thing remains true: Bert has struggled since his big outing on December 26th.

With only 3 goals and 8 assists in his last 23 games, I’m strongly reconsidering my belief that Bertuzzi  has secured himself a spot in the Wings lineup for the next couple of seasons. Call me bandwagon, call me a flip-flopper, call me whatever. I’m just not sure on how I feel about #44 anymore. Yes, he’s playing smart, system hockey right now, but how good are his services if they aren’t translating on to the score sheet for a team that needs help scoring goals. The irony? Bertuzzi’s forechecking abilities and propensity to sniff out open spots in front of the net should be exactly what helps turn this team around, yet the Wings continue to play a perimeter game and hope for re-directions on long blasts. If anyone has the skills and ability to help stabilize and diversify the Red Wings current strategy, it’s Bertuzzi. The fact that he’s not doing it raises skepticism about his future.

Inevitably, Ken Holland will have to make a decision on #44. He’ll do his due diligence and, in the end, will make a solid decision. But, before he gets to that point, he’ll do his homework and see if there’s anyone else out there that may be a solid fit for the Wings in the case that Bertuzzi isn’t brought back.

So, who’s out there? If you assume Holland would be looking to spend around $2-$2.5 million max, here’s the free agents the Wings could possibly be looking at when the offseason rolls around:

• Mike Comrie
  
  • OK, we all know that Comrie has made more noise off the ice with new fiance Hillary Duff than he has made on the ice with the Oilers this season (25 GP – 6 G, 5 A, 11 PTS) but make no mistake: a healthy Mike Comrie is very dangerous. Obviously, the health will be a major concern, but Comrie’s price tag ($1.25 million) makes him an interesting option to keep an eye on. If he hits 50+ points with that price tag, he goes from the butt of Lizzie Maguire jokes to a great steal for the Red Wings. Oh, did I mention he played at the University of Michigan too?

• Alex Tanguay
  • Without a doubt the most intriguing of the five options, Tanguay is no longer a threat to touch 80 points every season like he was three years ago, but he’s still a solid scoring option, capable of posting 40+ points. Obviously, the Wings would like a bit more physicality on top of what Tanguay brings to the table, but I think they would be happy to give some of those forechecking wants in order to get a scorer like Tanguay into the Winged Wheel. He’s currently making $2.5 million in Tampa Bay, but with his stock on the slide, the Wings could probably make a play on Tanguay for $1.75 – $2 million and have a solid chance of walking away as winners.

• Raffi Torres
  • Torres, currently manning a left wing for the Columbus BJ’s, hits the free agent market this offseason with a price tag of right around $2.25 million. While his numbers aren’t all that impressive for a guy making his money (59 GP – 19 G, 11 A, 30 PTS), Torres is a viable option given his ties to the Central division and the fact that he plays a game that mixes grit and hustle with a nice scoring touch. I can’t imagine he pulls the same amount of cash from the Wings, but alot depends on how he finishes out this season. If he gets hot, his price tag could stay pretty fixed.

• Lee Stempniak
  • Stempniak, a right winger for the Maple Leafs, isn’t one of the flashier names on this list, but has quietly upped his game every season he’s played in the NHL. His numbers are a bit underwhelming so far this season (61 GP – 14 G, 15 A, 29 PTS), but he’s only 16 points away from breaking his current record for points in a season. That said, Stempniak did miss 21 games last season and finished with only 29 points, so it will be interesting to see how he does down the stretch. He’s currently on the hook for $2.5 million, but his name has been frequently thrown around as one of the possible pieces the Leafs try and move before the March 3rd deadline, so his availability is obviously questionable at this point.

• Colby Armstrong
  • The former first round pick of the Penguins is another option for the Wings, but it’s hard to justify going after a guy with a price tag of $2.4 million who has put up really poor numbers this year (59 GP – 9 G, 11 A, 20 PTS). He’s got the grit and tenacity to fit in with the Wings system, and he’s still young enough to develop into their type of game, but he’s consistently underwhelmed for a player who was selected 21st overall in the 2001 draft. Unless he takes a major price tag hit, he’s not showing up in Detroit.

So, who’s it going to be?

Probably none of these guys. With so much young talent on it’s way up from the farm system, and with Bertuzzi meeting the front office’s expectations, I’m not sure that the Wings want to deviate course. They can get Bertuzzi for a pair of years at less than what four of the above five are making and don’t have to worry about breaking someone into the system, given Bert’s likely full season of service this year.

That said, if the Wings put a gun to my head and told me to make a choice, I’d immediately narrow it down to Comrie and Tanguay. Why? If I’m going to spend almost a million more to replace a guy like Bertuzzi, i want his numbers to reflect that. Armstrong, Stempniak and Torres would be, at best, lateral moves for the Wings in terms of talent and a setback in terms of cost. As mentioned before, Comrie holds the edge on Tanguay in terms of physicality and price, but Tanguay is the more refined of the two. On the flip side, Tanguay is much more the consummate professional and won’t be living his life in the limelight of the press like Comrie does. Not saying Comrie isn’t a professional, because he’s done a very good job with his relationship, but there’s a stigma around this league about players in relationships with celebrities (Thanks Sean Avery!) and Comrie will be more scrutinized than Tanguay would. However, can anyone REALLY imagine Hillary Duff in one of the luxury suites at the JLA? I guarantee you she’s all for a new arena in Detroit.

So, with all of those factors in mind, I’m taking Comrie simply because he has the stronger penchant for scoring goals. Tanguay can put up points, but it’s usually in the 1:2 ratio of goals to assists. The Wings need a goal scorer and Comrie can do that. Combine that with his cheap price tag, ability to grit it out and pre-existing history with the area I can live with the injury concerns and incessant Hillary Duff jokes.

However, this obviously begs the question: Is Comrie an upgrade over Bertuzzi?

He’s not a slam dunk upgrade just because of the injury problems, but I think Comrie has the chance to produce more than Bert does. In five years Comrie will likely be a similar player to what Bert is right now, so why not take a chance and see if Comrie can resurrect his career in Detroit?

Will it happen? Doubtful. Besides, who else is going to ruin Petrella’s wedding?

Tags: Alex Tanguay, Colby Armstrong, Henrik Zetterberg, Lee Stempniak, Mike Comrie, Pavel Datsyuk, Raffi Torres, Todd Bertuzzi