Tyler Bertuzzi describes feelings ahead of 1st game in nine months

It will be his first game action in a long time.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 2 years ago
Tyler Bertuzzi describes feelings ahead of 1st game in nine months
CBC

Rugged Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi is officially making his return to the lineup tonight as his team hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins at Little Caesars Arena in exhibition play. 

It will be Bertuzzi's first game action since January, and he'll be looking for a bounce back year after a season that saw him emerge as the team's leading scorer shortly into the season, only to have the campaign felled by a back injury that would eventually require surgery. 

"I’m nervous, definitely. I’m excited to get back into it," Bertuzzi said after the morning skate. "There's going to be some frustration."

"There’s going to be some frustration and a whole bunch of emotions going through my head, but I’m happy to be out there and take it game by game and eventually I’ll be back to where I was,” Bertuzzi continued. 

During the offseason, one of the moves that GM Steve Yzerman made was bringing aboard his former linemate with the Guelph Storm of the OHL in Pius Suter. He'll be skating with both Suter and 2020 1st round draft pick Lucas Raymond tonight. His rough and tumble style will be a welcome addition to the lineup.

“Bert wins stick battles, Bert has the puck in the O-zone, has the puck around the net, is real smart defensively,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “He just has to do what he does to get himself back into it.”