Tyler Bertuzzi has made a career out of being the kind of player every contender wants when games get heavy.
He’s scrappy, physical, and has the offensive touch to hurt opponents when they take him lightly. At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, the 30-year-old winger has carved out a reputation as a grinder with skill, a player who thrives in the dirty areas but can also chip in on the power play.
After bouncing from Detroit to Boston to Toronto, Bertuzzi joined the Chicago Blackhawks this past season, signing a four-year, $22 million contract that gave the team a veteran with snarl to pair with their young core. He played 79 games in 2024–25, scoring 15 goals with 24 assists and leading the Hawks in penalty minutes.
It wasn’t spectacular production, but it was the kind of edge-setting, space-creating game Chicago’s kids needed around them. He brought accountability to the room and energy to the lineup — something that doesn’t show up in the box score.
But Chicago’s situation is shifting. They’re still in a full-scale rebuild, Connor Bedard or not, and keeping a 30-year-old power forward through the next three seasons of a long contract doesn’t entirely align with their timeline. That’s where the Buffalo Sabres could come in.
Acquiring Tyler Bertuzzi Would Fill Buffalo’s Need for Physical Forward
The Sabres have been tied to Bertuzzi in trade chatter, and the fit makes sense. Buffalo is still searching for a physical middle-six forward who can insulate its skill players and give a little backbone to a lineup that has folded too easily in recent years.
According to The Hockey News, acquiring Bertuzzi would likely cost one of Buffalo’s better young assets. Here’s a package that makes sense: rookie center Noah Östlund, right-shot defenseman prospect Adam Kleber, and Buffalo’s 2026 second-round pick.
Östlund is the headliner. Drafted 16th overall in 2022, the 21-year-old Swede had a breakout year with Rochester, including an AHL Rookie of the Month nod in March. He’s a playmaker with high-end vision, and Buffalo still believes he can be a future NHL center — but with Jiri Kulich, Josh Norris, and Peyton Krebs in place, the Sabres have the depth to deal from strength.
Kleber, meanwhile, is one of those intriguing right-handed defense prospects teams covet. At 6-foot-6, the 19-year-old second-rounder from the 2024 draft is raw, but he has the size, reach, and steady defensive instincts that make him a project worth investing in. Buffalo’s system is loaded with big right-shot blueliners, meaning Kleber is a piece they could move without crippling their long-term depth.
And the second-round pick? That’s the sweetener — an extra lottery ticket for a rebuilding team that needs to stockpile futures.
Prospect Package for Tyler Bertuzzi Fits Chicago’s Current Rebuild Mode
For the Blackhawks, this isn’t about Bertuzzi being expendable, because he’s still a valuable player. It’s about timing. By the time Chicago is ready to contend again, he’ll likely be past his peak years. Turning him into a pair of prospects and another draft pick would accelerate the rebuild.
Östlund could immediately jump into Chicago’s prospect pool as one of their most skilled playmakers behind Bedard. Kleber addresses the glaring organizational need for big right-shot defensemen. And the second-rounder adds to GM Kyle Davidson’s asset stash, giving him flexibility in future trades.
This isn’t a salary dump. It’s a forward-looking move that takes advantage of Bertuzzi’s current market appeal while his contract still has real value for a win-now team like Buffalo.
If Buffalo pulled the trigger, Bertuzzi would give the Sabres exactly what they’ve lacked: an agitating, playoff-style winger who can complement their young scorers. He thrives in the trenches, battles in front of the net, and isn’t afraid to drag his team into the fight.
For a franchise desperate to end a 14-year playoff drought, this is the kind of swing worth considering. The Sabres have stockpiled prospects and picks — now it’s time to spend some of them. Tyler Bertuzzi may not be a superstar, but he’s the kind of gritty difference-maker who could help Buffalo finally break through.
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