Tyler Bertuzzi talked about his time in Boston and playing with Brad Marchand ahead of Thursday night’s Atlantic Division matchup
BOSTON – Exactly eight months after he was traded to the Boston Bruins, Tyler Bertuzzi will take the ice at TD Garden again. Although this time, it won’t be in black and gold.
The Bruins' impactful trade deadline acquisition left almost as soon as he arrived, signing a one-year, $5.5 million contract with one of Boston’s rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, on July 2. On Thursday, the Maple Leafs face off against the Bruins, reuniting Bertuzzi with his former team.
“Obviously my first time being traded, didn’t really know what to expect,” Bertuzzi said after Thursday’s morning skate. “Everyone was great over there, and I really enjoyed my time there.”
The 28-year-old forward spent the first six-and-half seasons of his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings before Boston sent their 2024 first-round pick and 2025 fourth-rounder to acquire his expiring contract.
He made an impact at the perfect time, scoring four goals and 16 points across 21 games at the end of the season to help Boston finish out their record-breaking 65-win season. His production carried over into the postseason, sharing the team lead in scoring with Brad Marchand (10 points in seven games) against the Florida Panthers.
Bertuzzi was asked about Marchand on Thursday, with whom he, uh, exchanged pleasantries while with Detroit in 2018. Reflecting on his time in Boston, Bertuzzi was asked what he learned about Marchand:
“That he’s a good guy. … He’s just easy to get along with. He’s funny, and yeah, he’s a lot of fun to be around.”
While establishing a good relationship with the Marchand, Bertuzzi fully expects things to revert back to the old ways on Thursday, at least partially.
“He’s just full of s--t now. But he’s probably going to try and do something tonight,” Bertuzzi said with a smile. “But that’s always fun.”
While many were surprised by how well Boston started the season after losing Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, Bertuzzi said he wasn’t surprised, and he’s expecting a battle, even with the Bruins missing three regular defensemen.
“They have a lot of good players, a lot of depth,” he said. “They buy into their system, so it’s not surprising, and we’re gonna have to bring a good, full effort tonight.”