Tyler Bertuzzi Opens Up on Choosing Blackhawks Over Maple Leafs

Tyler Bertuzzi’s decision to leave the playoff-bound Toronto Maple Leafs for the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks raised some eyebrows this offseason, if only because of the change that presented to him and his career.

The Maple Leafs finished last season reaching Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs. The Blackhawks, on the other hand, finished with the second-worst record in the NHL as they are still in the first phase of a big rebuild.

However, the 29-year-old forward looked at the bigger picture when he made his offseason decision and recently explained why he felt drawn to Chicago despite its current standing in the league.

“A young team that's hungry and looking to try and slowly build something,” Bertuzzi told the Associated Press . “I went through it with Detroit.

"Hopefully here I can stick it out and be here for the turnaround. It was an opportunity to play, play with good players."

The Blackhawks are still far from even contending for a playoff spot, let alone becoming Stanley Cup contenders. That said, Bertuzzi sees the potential in the young core the organization is assembling, led by budding superstar Connor Bedard.

“He's a very skilled player," Bedard said of Bertuzzi. "Really good in puck battles and getting the puck back.

“There's obviously a reason he's been a really good player for a while, so it's been fun so far.”

Bertuzzi signed a four-year, $22 million contract with Chicago carrying a $5.5 million cap hit. He is coming off scoring 21 goals and 22 assists in a career-high 80 regular-season games last season.

Related: Blackhawks' Connor Bedard Won't Tell You What to Expect Next