'People Can Perceive That However They Want, I’m Not Going To Explain Myself': Maple Leafs' Tyler Bertuzzi Addresses Reaction to Bruins' Brad Marchand, Vows to Play Better
Bertuzzi was restored to the second line after being demoted to the fourth line in the third period of Toronto's 3-2 shootout loss to Boston.
To say it's been difficult for Tyler Bertuzzi to find a groove with the Toronto Maple Leafs would be a bit of an understatement.
On Thursday, the forward found himself on the fourth line to start the third period of his team's 3-2 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins.
"Personally, I've got to be better, no excuses," Bertuzzi said following the team's morning skate ahead of their game against the Buffalo Sabres.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRzLtkoi4VQ[/embed]
Following the game, Maple Leafs' Sheldon Keefe was critical of his forward's game saying that the player wasn't following a simple plan that was laid out for the team.
Perhaps not helping things was a lack of response from his team when Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand tripped defenseman Timothy Liljegren.
In the moments that ensued, cameras caught Marchand talking to several Leafs players on the bench. Bertuzzi, who was teammates with Marchand last season with the Bruins, was seen smiling in his reaction to the Marchand's antics.
"People can perceive that however they want, I'm not going to explain myself," Bertuzzi said about the exchange.
During the morning skate, Keefe restored Bertuzzi back to the second line with John Tavares and William Nylander and walked back some of the criticism of his forward.
"I'm not very happy with our team and at that point in time he just happened to make the wrong mistake at the wrong time and he was the guy for that night," Keefe said of Bertuzzi. "Bert’s a very important player for us and will be a very important player for us and we’ll come through the harder this thing gets, the better Bert’s going to be."
Signed to a one-year, $5.5 million contract this summer, the Maple Leafs expected the forward to be a point producer who could also play with an edge. After starting the season on a top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, Bertuzzi has twice been demoted from the top-six forward group in two different games.
The 28-year-old forward has two goals and one assist this season. He's played in all 10 games for the Leafs but admitted during the team's five-game road trip that he was dealing with a couple of nagging ailments. Bertuzzi said he's 100 percent now.
With Bertuzzi back on the second line, it's clear the club will be patient with the forward in an effort to find the right mix up front.
"It’s just another opportunity to prove myself," Bertuzzi said. "I just got to be better."
Related
News from THN.com