Tyler Bertuzzi Bio
Tyler Bertuzzi is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays as a left winger for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 58th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut with the Red Wings in 2016. Over the course of his career, Bertuzzi has also suited up for the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs before joining the Blackhawks.
Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing roughly 200 pounds, Bertuzzi is recognized around the league as a physical, net-front presence who combines scoring touch with an edge. He signed a four-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2024 and remains an active NHLer heading into the 2025 season.
Early Life and Background
Tyler Bertuzzi was born on February 24, 1995, in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Sudbury has long been known across Canada as a hotbed for competitive amateur hockey, and Bertuzzi grew up surrounded by the sport from an early age. He comes from a hockey family that helped shape his path to the professional ranks.
He is the son of Angela Bertuzzi, an educational assistant, and Adrian Gedye, a talent agent and businessman. Bertuzzi has two brothers, Evan and Matthew Gedye, and his cousins, Tag and Jaden Bertuzzi, also play competitive hockey. Notably, Bertuzzi is the nephew of former NHL forward Todd Bertuzzi, giving him a direct family connection to the highest level of the sport.
Path to Hockey
Bertuzzi began his competitive journey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he was selected by the Guelph Storm in the fourth round, 78th overall, of the 2011 OHL Entry Draft. In his first full OHL season, 2011–12, he appeared in 61 games for the Storm and quickly built a reputation for a physical brand of hockey, collecting six fights in his first nine games.
His production climbed steadily after that debut year. During the 2012–13 season, Bertuzzi recorded 13 goals and nine assists in 43 games, and the following year he battled through shoulder, neck and head injuries before rejoining Guelph for the playoffs. In the 2013–14 postseason he helped the Storm capture the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions and later led the 2014 Memorial Cup with five goals in four games. He capped his junior career in 2014–15 by leading Guelph in scoring with 98 points and earning a spot on the OHL Second All-Star Team, setting the stage for his NHL opportunity.
Tyler Bertuzzi Career
Early Career (2013–2016)
Although drafted by Detroit in 2013, Bertuzzi finished his OHL commitment before turning pro. The Red Wings signed him to a three-year entry-level contract in October 2014, and after his final junior season he was assigned to the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins. He made his professional debut on April 17, 2015, against the Lake Erie Monsters and scored his first professional goal against goaltender Calvin Pickard.
His first full professional year came in 2015–16 with Grand Rapids. Bertuzzi posted 12 goals and 30 points across 71 regular-season games and added seven goals and eight points in the 2016 Calder Cup playoffs. The following season, 2016–17, he helped lead the Griffins to a Calder Cup championship, recording 19 points in 19 playoff games and earning the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as playoff most valuable player while also setting a franchise record with 23 career playoff goals.
Detroit Red Wings Breakthrough (2016–2023)
Bertuzzi made his NHL debut on November 8, 2016, in a 3–2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, after being recalled by Detroit to replace the injured Thomas Vanek. After brief stints between Detroit and Grand Rapids, he earned a longer look with the Red Wings later that season. He scored his first NHL goal on January 14, 2018, against Jeff Glass of the Chicago Blackhawks and finished 2017–18 with seven goals and 17 assists in 48 NHL games.
After signing a two-year extension in June 2018, Bertuzzi opened the 2018–19 season on Detroit’s top line and recorded his first career hat trick on January 12, 2019, against Devan Dubnyk of the Minnesota Wild. He was named NHL Second Star of the Week for the week ending April 1, 2019, after registering three consecutive three-point games, the first Red Wings player to accomplish that feat since Steve Yzerman in 1992–93. He closed that campaign with 21 goals and 47 points in 73 games. Bertuzzi was selected to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game and posted 21 goals and 48 points in 71 games before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He then scored 30 goals and 62 points in 68 games during the 2021–22 season, establishing himself as a consistent top-six contributor.
Boston Bruins Era (2023)
On March 2, 2023, Bertuzzi was traded from Detroit to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a conditional first-round pick in 2024 and a fourth-round pick in 2025. He debuted for Boston on March 4 alongside Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic, picking up his first Bruins point by assisting on Coyle’s opening goal in a 4–2 win over the New York Rangers. In 21 regular-season games he produced four goals and 16 points, joining a Bruins team that set NHL records with 65 wins and 135 points while capturing the Presidents’ Trophy.
Bertuzzi made his NHL playoff debut during Boston’s first-round series against the Florida Panthers, assisting on two goals in a Game 1 victory. He scored his first NHL playoff goal against Alex Lyon in Game 2 and added two goals and an assist in a Game 6 loss. In a Game 7 defeat that saw Boston blow a 3–1 series lead, Bertuzzi still managed a power-play goal in the third period. He finished the playoffs with five goals and 10 points in seven games.
Toronto Maple Leafs Era (2023–2024)
Bertuzzi signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 2, 2023, and made his Toronto debut on October 11 in a 6–5 win over the Montreal Canadiens. He scored his first Maple Leafs goal three days later against Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild. After the death of professional hockey player Adam Johnson from a skate-blade cut to the neck, Bertuzzi became the first active NHL player to wear a neck guard in a game since that incident, donning the protective equipment against the Chicago Blackhawks on November 24.
He wrapped up his lone season in Toronto with 21 goals and 43 points across 80 regular-season games. The Maple Leafs faced Bertuzzi’s former Bruins in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs and were eliminated in seven games, with Bertuzzi finishing the series with one goal and four points.
Chicago Blackhawks Era (2024–Present)
On July 1, 2024, Bertuzzi signed a four-year, $22 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks as an unrestricted free agent. The deal runs through the 2027–28 season and carries an annual average value of $5.5 million. He joins a Chicago roster in the midst of a rebuild and is expected to play a prominent role as a veteran left winger.
Driving Style and Strengths
Bertuzzi’s game is built around physicality, sandpaper and a willingness to go to the difficult areas of the ice. Listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 200 pounds, he plays a north-south style, protects the puck along the boards and drives the net. He is effective on the power play and has produced consistently in top-six roles alongside skilled linemates such as Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Charlie Coyle and Brad Marchand.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Bertuzzi’s signature moments are his first NHL goal against Jeff Glass in 2018, his first career hat trick against the Minnesota Wild in January 2019, his Calder Cup MVP performance in 2017, and his playoff debut with the Bruins in 2023. He was also selected to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game, a recognition of his status as one of the league’s top left wingers at that time.
Tyler Bertuzzi Career Wins
Tyler Bertuzzi has built a winning résumé that includes a Calder Cup championship with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2017 and a J. Ross Robertson Cup with the Guelph Storm in 2014. At the NHL level he has suited up for three different playoff teams and has produced key goals in postseason play, including five goals in seven games during the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs with Boston.
NHL Highlights
Throughout his NHL career Bertuzzi has shown a knack for producing in key moments, highlighted by his first NHL goal against Chicago, his hat trick against Minnesota and his steady top-six production with Detroit. He topped 20 goals in three separate NHL seasons with the Red Wings, including a 30-goal campaign in 2021–22, and has continued that pace with Toronto and now Chicago.
Other Wins and Performances
In junior hockey, Bertuzzi helped the Guelph Storm capture the 2014 J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions and led the Memorial Cup in goal scoring that same year. In the AHL he earned the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as Calder Cup playoff MVP in 2017. Internationally, he represented Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship, helping the team reach the gold-medal game before a loss to Finland.
Tyler Bertuzzi Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Tyler Bertuzzi is part of a tight-knit hockey family rooted in Sudbury, Ontario. He is the son of Angela Bertuzzi, an educational assistant, and Adrian Gedye, a talent agent and businessman. His brothers, Evan and Matthew Gedye, have also been involved in competitive hockey, and his cousins, Tag and Jaden Bertuzzi, continue the family tradition. Most notably, Tyler is the nephew of former NHL forward Todd Bertuzzi, giving the Bertuzzi name a long history at hockey’s highest level.
Personal Life
Bertuzzi is a Canadian citizen who has spent much of his adult life between his hometown of Sudbury and the various NHL cities where he has played, including Detroit, Boston, Toronto and now Chicago. In September 2021 it was reported that he was not vaccinated against COVID-19, which prevented him from crossing the border to play games in Canada and led him to forfeit a portion of his salary during that period.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Tyler Bertuzzi is in the opening year of his four-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks and is expected to play a featured role on the team’s top-six forward group. The Blackhawks are in the middle of a multi-year rebuild, and Bertuzzi’s mix of scoring, physicality and playoff experience figures to be a major asset for a young roster.
Bertuzzi will look to build on the offensive consistency he showed in his three most recent NHL seasons, all of which produced more than 40 points. His presence on the power play should also remain a key part of his value to Chicago, while his willingness to play a tough, north-south game fits the identity the Blackhawks are trying to establish.
With his contract running through 2027–28 and the Blackhawks investing in veteran talent to support their young core, Bertuzzi’s primary objective for the 2025 season is to help drive Chicago back toward playoff contention while continuing to produce at his established scoring rate.
