Tyler Bertuzzi is putting together very strong performances for the Chicago Blackhawks during the second half of the 2024-25 NHL season. As the winger is becoming a force to be reckoned with in the opponent’s blue paint, he has made something noted to interim coach Anders Sorensen and star teammate Connor Bedard about his game.
There aren’t many positives in Chicago at the moment. The team is consistently inconsistent, and may put on a strong fight with top sides, but fall catastrophically against subpar opponents.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the 2024-25 season is that the Blackhawks may be trending towards finding the best company for Connor Bedard in the team’s first line. Getting Bedard back to his best self was always interim coach Anders Sorensen’s main goal this year, and he may have found the answer.
Putting Bedard together with Tyler Bertuzzi and Frank Nazar on the first line has worked out for Sorensen and the Blackhawks, though they are still lacking much depth in the rest of their lineup. One step at a time.
Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks warms up prior to the 2024 NHL Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field on December 31, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
As Bertuzzi rides a wave of momentum, with points in three straight outings (3 goals and 2 assists over that span), the experienced winger, who is lethal on the man-advantage, made something clear to Sorensen and Bedard.
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“When I’ve been on the power play, I’ve always been a net-front guy, so that’s just the spot I like to be around,” Bertuzzi revealed about his preferred style of play, via The Athletic. “It’s just the place I go. It feels weird for me to be on the wall or the half-wall. I just like to be around the net. I think it makes it easier for my linemates, just knowing that I’ll be there.”
Great connection
Bertuzzi and Bedard have become a talented duo in Windy City, the 19-year-old sensation is always looking for ways to assist the net-front goalscorer, and has had much success in doing so.
Bertuzzi registers 17 goals so far in the season, with Bedard recording an assists in nine of them. The two skilled players are the biggest threat in the Blackhawks’ lineup, and though teams gameplan for them, it’s hard to stop them. Especially in power play opportunities, where both stars thrive.
NHL prospect Connor Bedard speaks with the media at a press availability at AllianceBernstein Tower on June 27, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee.
“That’s a special skill [Bertuzzi] has, so I’m just trying to put it in an area, and he does the hard work,” Bedard stated. “He’s telling me ‘just rip it there, he’ll try to make a play on it’, and he does. It’s impressive. It’s a great skill to have.”
Couldn’t build on massive win
After a remarkable victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, the Blackhawks were unable to string together consecutive wins and fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in overtime. Forward Taylor Hall dropped an honest statement about the team’s performance.
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“We got just a bit overwhelmed by [the Hurricanes’] shot quantity and just how much time they spent in our end. We couldn’t hold onto a lead,” Hall told NHL.com. “So yeah, just overall, we had a goalie that played more than well enough to get a win, and we couldn’t do it.”
Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks looks on prior to the game against the Vancouver Canucks at the United Center on October 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
At least the Hawks kept their point streak alive, and will look to extend it to four games against the Tampa Bay Lightning on January 24.
