Embed from Getty Images Detroit Red Wings Tyler Bertuzzi is many things. To opposing teams, Bertuzzi is a pest who gets under the skin and smiles while being annoying. To his Red Wings teammates he is simply known as “Bert.” The front tooth missing almost always smiling, almost always joking teammate. To the Detroit Red Wings Tyler Bertuzzi is now an NHL All-Star.
When the NHL announced the player selections Monday afternoon, Tyler Bertuzzi heard his name called. He nor anyone who follows the Red Wings or NHL hockey should have been surprised.
Bertuzzi leads the Detroit hockey team with 14 goals and 16 assists with 30 points, six points ahead of both Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha. Mantha would have made the All-Star team is he had not suffered a rib cage injury.
The NHL All-Star rosters are voted on by the fans. Dylan Larkin has been singing Bertuzzi’s praise for a while now. “I’ve said it before, he’s just a hockey player. He battles, he plays hard, blocks shots and scores goals. Bert is not afraid to jump into battles.” Larkin told reporters.
Bertuzzi has a great sense of humor as well. Last season in a game where Anthony Mantha broke his hand in a fight defending Larkin, Mantha skated to the bench sat down next to Bertuzzi took his glove off to reveal a swelling hand and asked Tyler if he thought it was broken. “How should I know, I’m not a *beeping* doctor”, Bertuzzi told him. Leading Mantha to breakout in laughter.
Bertuzzi is a bundle of sheer grit and determination. He has elevated his game and the game of his teammates everywhere he has played. The fact “Bert” is an All-Star is not surprising to anyone in the Red Wings organization or the Wings fan base. As Bertuzzi is a HUGE fan favorite.
Tyler Bertuzzi also has another big fan, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman who smiles whenever Bertuzzi’s name is brought up. Why? Because Tyler Bertuzzi is a big part of the Detroit Red Wings future.
