To Detroit:
Marcus Pettersson
Kasperi Kapanen
2nd Round Pick
To Pittsburgh:
Tyler Bertuzzi (50% retained)
Detroit gets a serviceable young defensemen in Pettersson who doesn’t fit into the pens lineup given the log jam at the left side. They also get Kapanen who is being edged out of the lineup and can use a change of scenery. Pens throw in a 2nd rounder given the salary taken by the wings and the salary retention for Bertuzzi.
Pens add Bertuzzi who would immediately slot into the pens top 6 and help tremendously on Malkin’s line to make a push for the cup.
Read this from someone on Twitter too. Not an Yzerman type deal and doesn’t really do anything for Detroit at all. A couple of serviceable players for Bertuzzi isn’t going to cut it. If he’s moved, he will be the best forward moved at this deadline.
Detroit could sign both of those type of players in UFA without much trouble. You certainly don’t trade a player like Bertuzzi for two players like this, and then ask them to retain?
Anyone who thinks Bertuzzi hasn’t become a legit, high end player in the NHL, simply doesn’t watch him play. I knew he’d be good, but never thought he’d end up this good. He just continues to get better every year, and his game is built for the playoffs too.
Further, anyone bringing up the Covid thing is extremely short-sighted, as we are already seeing Canada loosening regulations come April 1st. It will have no bearing on his value at all. He brings a dimension not many players do in the NHL. Teams have to prepare for him specifically. If Detroit is taking offers, teams are lining up.
We keep hearing the Pens are interested in him and he’d be a great fit, bringing them a different element to their team, but honestly don’t see a package they can really put together Detroit would come close to accepting. You have to think Mantha deal with an add in value. Whether that’s quality over quantity, or prospects over picks. Could be 4 pieces, could be two. All depends on the quality. No doubt the cost will be two top-end prospects or the equivalent.
So Pittsburgh would honestly have to look at bringing a third team in to get Detroit the young player(s) they’d be looking for. They’d probably want a young C prospect who’s close to NHL ready, being one of those pieces.
Maybe Detroit would have some interest in Joseph as a piece, but honestly he’d be 6-8th in their dman prospect pool. The only thing he’d bring is maybe he’s ready a year earlier than some others. Possibly one of their goaltending prospects? I don’t think they’d really have much interest in Marino at all as they’re loaded on the right side. Doesn’t even matter if he can play the left side or not. It would also create a hole for the Pens.
The Pens just don’t have much in their system. So the chances anything gets done with Bertuzzi is minimal.
The player the Pens probably are legitimately interested in from Detroit would be Leddy.
The teams who should be all over Bertuzzi who have the type of prospects Detroit would be interested in, would be Minnesota, Carolina, LA, Colorado and possibly the Rangers and Bruins.
With what Carolina is going to have to get through in the East, it makes all the sense in the world for them to take a run at Bertuzzi, and they have plenty of ammo to get the deal done. They probably wouldn’t even have to give up Jarvis or a 1st rounder either, even though I’m sure Detroit would ask for Jarvis. They have a very deep pool.
This is why you have to draft well these days. So you can make these type of moves when you have the opportunity. Carolina has Drury, Rees, Suzuki and other prospects Detroit would be interested in.
In Bertuzzi, you’re talking about a unique type of player who are tough to find. Very few wingers bring that all out pest attitude and are always on the scoresheet too. I wouldn’t count Colorado or LA out either, and Boston would be very interesting with both Marchand and Bertuzzi driving teams nuts.
If I had to guess though, I’d predict he ends up in Carolina or Colorado. Both would really cement their chances at a Cup by adding him.
