The Detroit Red Wings are staying busy ahead of the NHL trade deadline, moving forward Tyler Bertuzzi to the Boston Bruins on Thursday in exchange for a 2024 first-round draft choice and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
The first-round choice is top-10 protected. Detroit will also retain 50% of Bertuzzi’s $4.75 million cap hit in the deal.
Bertuzzi has four goals and 14 points in 29 games for the Red Wings this season and has been one of the club’s top offensive pieces in recent seasons. The 28-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent and was rumored to be on the trade block, until Detroit began improving on the ice through February.
Talks around Bertuzzi cooled but GM Steve Yzerman picked those up again and Boston was an obvious trade partner. Bruins’ GM Don Sweeney had draft capital to spare, and the Red Wings are continuing to re-tool their roster through the draft and prospect development to become a perennial postseason contender again.
The Bruins were targeting depth forwards before acquiring Garnet Hathaway from Washington last month. A recent lower-body injury to Taylor Hall highlighted Boston’s need to add further. Bertuzzi brings scoring touch, physicality and versatility to a Boston team that’s been atop the NHL standings all season and is a front-runner to chase a Stanley Cup championship.
To fit Bertuzzi into the mix, Boston is likely to move into Long Term Injured Reserve relief with Hall or the also-injured Nick Foligno.
The NHL trade deadline passes at 3 p.m. on Friday.
