'Everyone's Healthy and Everyone's Good': Tyler Bertuzzi Returns to Maple Leafs' Lineup Against Jets After Birth of Second Child
Bertuzzi is expected to bring dad strength in Toronto's final push before returning home for the NHL bye week.
Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports - 'Everyone's Healthy and Everyone's Good': Tyler Bertuzzi Returns to Maple Leafs' Lineup Against Jets After Birth of Second ChildWINNIPEG — Tyler Bertuzzi is looking forward to the upcoming bye week that will follow Saturday's game against the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on Saturday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs forward returns after he missed the first between the teams on Wednesday to head home to be with his wife, Ashley, to tend to the birth of the second child, a son.
"You're excited to be with your family for a couple of days but you're also excited to get back and playing with the guys again," Bertuzzi told The Hockey News. "Everyone's healthy and everyone's good."
Bertuzzi was back with the team on Friday practicing on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander but much is up in the air after Calle Jarnkrok broke his knuckle during the session and is out week-to-week.
Keefe feels they were missing Bertuzzi's forechecking ability against the Jets, contributing to why the club was limited to just one goal in a 1-0 overtime victory on Wednesday.
"The we way he gets on the puck, the way he gets on the inside, all the things I think we lacked offensively are real strengths of Bert's," Keefe said.
In addition to bringing some additional dad strength, Keefe feels Bertuzzi and the Leafs can push through with a more complete effort and push out the thought of the upcoming break that awaits both clubs once the game is over.
Last season, the Leafs were dominated by the Bruins 5-2 at Scotiabank Arena before heading into the break. This year, Keefe feels being on the road before the pause in the schedule will help them.
"I think it is an advantage in that sense to be on the road with less distractions," Keefe said. "Being in your routine here, in this environment, it's easier to understand that we've got 60 minutes to get done here.
"A game in which we have to have our absolute best."
Bertuzzi has six goals and 14 assists in 45 games with the Leafs this season and is production is below what the Maple Leafs likely expected when he signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the club this summer.
Playing on the second power-play unit, there could be some opportunity for the 28-year-old to move onto the top unit should the Leafs decide to break it up.
Keefe indicated at practice on Friday that he may change up some personnel if the current special teams malaise continues. The Leafs are 1-for-20 with the man advantage over the last eight games.
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