Canucks Rewind: The Todd Bertuzzi trade, and his time spent in Vancouver
Every team dreams of finding their franchise power forward, and the Vancouver Canucks were no exception.
These players can be legitimate threats every time they step onto the ice, combining offensive firepower and hard-hitting toughness to establish a dominant and daunting presence that opponents fear.
Some organizations patiently wait on these prospects to blossom, eventually giving up when the frustration becomes too much to handle, whereas others strike out shortly after signing or trading for that year’s shiniest new toy.
No matter the case, it is much better to play alongside a power-forward instead of against one.
For almost 30 years, the Canucks organization searched far and wide for such elite talent, and it wasn’t until the late 1990’s that the organization finally found a way to turn their dreams into reality. Little did they know that this transaction would drastically reshape their forward core for years to come.
Of course, we’re talking about the legendary Todd Bertuzzi.
Looking back on Bertuzzi’s NHL career
After registering 80 points in 106 games with the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Hockey League, Bertuzzi was selected 23rd overall by the New York Islanders in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Regarded as one of the strongest players of that draft class, the Islanders had high hopes for the Sudbury, Ontario native.
Unfortunately, the injury bug bit Bertuzzi very early on in his professional career. He underwent elbow surgery shortly after the draft, and was unable to attend training camp for the upcoming season.
He returned to the OHL for the next two years, putting up 201 points in 123 games, which was highlighted by an astonishing 54-goal, 119-point performance during his final year with the club. Bertuzzi made the most of his time in Ontario, refining his skating abilities and improving the efficacy of his net-front presence in order to prove that he was ready for the big leagues.
Bertuzzi made his NHL debut with the Islanders on October 7th, 1995, and he finished his rookie campaign with 18 goals and 21 assists.
Unfortunately, this was the peak of his offensive contributions on Long Island.
Over the next two seasons, Bertuzzi only registered 41 points in 116 games, and made regular appearances in the minors throughout the 1997-98 campaign. He was unable to live up to the club’s high expectations of him, and, like many struggling players before him, was ready for a change of scenery.
On February 6th, 1998, his wish was finally granted.
The trade
That day, the Islanders received long-time Canuck Trevor Linden. In return, Bertuzzi, along with fellow 1993 draft selection Bryan McCabe and a 1998 third-round pick, was sent West to the Vancouver Canucks.
Similar to the Islanders, the Canucks were also in a rebuild mode and were struggling mightily to climb out of the Western Conference basement. Bertuzzi, however, still found a way to make an immediate impact with his new club, registering 15 points and 62 PIM to round out the final 22 games of the 1997-98 season.
And fortunately, for Canucks fans and management alike, this was only just the beginning for ‘Big Bert’.
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Despite being limited to only 32 games in the 1998-99 season, Bertuzzi was able to produce at a half-a-point-per-game pace, showing management that he could not only battle back from injury, but that he was also making strides towards re-establishing his offensive game. That offseason, he signed a two-year contract to remain with the Western Canadian club, ready to prove himself as an effective power forward in the league.
And he did not disappoint.
In the first year of his new contract, Bertuzzi registered 25 goals, 50 points and 126 PIM in 80 games, and also received the Pavel Bure Most Exciting Player Award at the end of the season, as voted by the fans. After registering up 55 points the following year, he was able to put up an astounding 85-point performance during the 2001-02 campaign, which was good for 3rd in league scoring.
More importantly, Bertuzzi helped end the team’s four-year playoff drought. They lost to the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche in the 2001 playoffs, and also fell to the Detroit Red Wings the following year. Despite consecutive first-round exits, there was still lots to be hopeful for.
Bertuzzi recorded four goals and four assists during his first two postseason appearances and had found undeniable chemistry with linemates, Brendan Morrison and Markus Naslund. The Canucks were starting to emerge as a legitimate threat in the Northwest Division and were poised for a breakout year.
Enter the 2002-03 season.
Bertuzzi found himself back on the first line with Naslund and Morrison, and the trio picked up right where they left off from the following season. Their up-tempo and high-scoring style of hockey was becoming widely recognized throughout the league, and other teams quivered when they had to face off against the West Coast Express.
The Canucks were officially back in the playoff picture, but this was also the year that Bertuzzi solidified himself as the dominant power forward that everyone expected him to be. He registered a career-high 46 goals, 51 assists and 97 points, finishing fifth in league scoring.
More importantly, he started to garner the attention and respect of fellow players in the league. He was named to the first All-Star team and even finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting for league MVP.
The Canucks qualified for the postseason that year, after almost claiming the top spot in the Northwest Division. They were able to knock off the St. Louis Blues in the first round but blew a 3-1 series lead against the Minnesota Wild during round two. Bertuzzi recorded 60 PIM over those 14 games, but only put up six points.
Despite the poor statistical playoff performance, Bertuzzi inked a four-year contract extension right before the 2003-04 season to remain in Vancouver. He registered 60 points in 69 games, and was once again named to the NHL All-Star team for the second consecutive year.
Unfortunately, Bertuzzi would be remembered for something much worse that season.
The infamous incident
On March 8th, 2004, Bertuzzi was involved in an altercation with Avalanche forward Steve Moore, sucker-punching him from behind and driving his head to the ice before knocking him unconscious. He was suspended indefinitely by the league, and Moore never played a professional hockey game again.
This would be the turning point for Bertuzzi’s career.
Despite registering 71 points in the 2005-06 season, Bertuzzi’s play was starting to diminish. Both he and Naslund were no longer the offensive juggernauts that the team previously relied on, and it seemed like the younger players, such as Henrik and Daniel Sedin, were ready to accept the torch.
Bertuzzi was also receiving a lot of heat off the ice, as a result of the Moore incident. He was continuously heckled and ridiculed by fans throughout the league and was unable to shake off the negative effects of the continuous media coverage and assault charge complications.
Similar to his time in New York, Canuck management felt that Bertuzzi needed another change of scenery to rediscover his game.
He was traded to the Florida Panthers on June 23rd, 2006.
Bertuzzi bounced around the league for the remainder of his career following this trade, suiting up for Florida, Anaheim, Calgary and Detroit. He was still able to put up decent offensive numbers, and even adapted his playing style to include more defensive responsibilities. Unfortunately, he was never able to showcase the talent and skill that made him one of the best power forwards in the league.
Bertuzzi officially retired from the NHL in 2015. He finished his career with 770 points and 1,159 games played.
During his time with the Canucks, Bertuzzi established himself as a consistent offensive threat. His combination of smooth puck-handling skills, quick skating ability, effective net-front presence and overall toughness and grit was truly unique amongst other players in the league, and he played an integral role in reshaping the team’s identity for much of the 2000’s decade.
He helped the team to climb their way to the top of the Northwest Division, and even though that success never translated into the postseason, it raised the expectations for future players and fans.
Regardless of his underwhelming playoff achievements and notorious altercation with Moore, Bertuzzi is still regarded as one of the best power forwards to ever suit up for the Vancouver franchise.
To this day, he still holds a top-10 spot in many Canuck records, including goals, assists, points and hat tricks. He will always be a fan favourite in this city, as displayed from his deafening ovation during the organization’s 50th anniversary pre-game celebrations in October 2019.
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You’re a beaut, no. 44!