Matthew Tkachuk and Tyler Bertuzzi on the same line could provide the Florida Panthers with a lethal combination of skill and physicality not seen in decades. It could actually become a reality, as Bally Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland reports the Panthers are among the teams who will pursue Bertuzzi if he hits the open market on July 1.
Let’s be clear – Bertuzzi becoming an unrestricted free agent is not a given. After clearing $6M in cap space by trading away Taylor Hall, the Boston Bruins have some room, albeit temporarily, to work out an extension with Bertuzzi. It’s something they’re expected to at least take a run at accomplishing over the next few days.
The cap situation in Boston is still extremely tight, though, and the Bruins would need to make more salary-clearing moves after a hypothetical Bertuzzi extension to re-sign Jeremy Swayman and fill out the rest of their forward core. It seems unlikely they’d be able to figure out a multi-step plan to make all that happen in a matter of days before UFA signing season opens.
Even is Boston could piece together the puzzle, Bertuzzi will likely be able to find more money elsewhere, and Florida has some to spend. The expiring contract of Patric Hornqvist, a reduced Keith Yandle buyout cap hit, and roughly $10M worth of LTIR candidates to start the season have given the Panthers significant flexibility entering free agency. While their first priority will be adding on defense to buoy them while Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour miss the start of the season, there is still an opportunity to add another offensive piece if they play their financial cards right.
Florida saw what Bertuzzi can accomplish first-hand this season. He led the Bruins in scoring during their seven-game playoff loss against the Panthers, notching five goals and 10 points while averaging nearly 18 minutes per game. He certainly won’t come cheap as a bonafide top-six winger, though his concerning injury history likely brings down his cap hit slightly on the open market.
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