I personally think a 1st for Bertuzzi is a pipe dream at this point, unless there are more moving parts to the deal. Bertuzzi looks like dogshit out there and can’t stay healthy. What team is going to sink one of their best trade chips on a guy who might not even be healthy, and when he is, looks like crap? Is there a comp for this scenario? He’d need an absolutely monstrous February to regain his status and nothing indicates that’s going to happen.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bert go in a trade similar to the Leddy trade: Yzerman keys in on an under-the-radar roster player or prospect, maybe two, that he likes (Sundqvist, Walman) and a couple 2nds or a 2nd and 3rd. Detroit gets something useful and potentially valuable, trade partner gets to spread out their risk among potential middle sixers and non-1st rounders, appeasing fans. Win-win.
It really is a f***ing bummer how our rebuild is going. You probably could’ve convinced me that Bert could return *two* 1st rounders last year, now look where he is. Then you’ve got Larkin’s status up in the air. And we’ve screwed ourselves out of a top 4 draft pick by signing chumps, which is where the potential offensive stars are this year - something we’ve never really had the opportunity of landing.
Mickey always used to point out that Columbus has had such little success because they never bottomed out well enough to get the truly good prospects. I worry we’re on that course. Might have to rebuild the rebuild.