Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights are a rock solid team, but their flaws were on display as they were knocked out of the playoffs by the upstart Montreal Canadiens. Vegas wasn’t overmatched in talent, they were just outworked. What better way to add some character and grit to the roster than with Tyler Bertuzzi.
The biggest problem with a Vegas-Detroit trade scenario is the Golden Knight’s cap situation. The current projection for next year is $6 million and the team has a few pending UFA’s. Marc-Andre Fluery’s $7 million contract weighs heavy on the books, but the rumor around the league is that Vegas is actively shopping Fluery on the market.
It’s not quite as easy as a trade with the Bruins, but the Knights can make the space if they need to. Again, Yzerman can get the best value out of Bertuzzi if he’s on a value contract. Based on Yzerman’s return for Mantha and the Knight’s willingness to part with draft picks, at least a first is a reasonable ask. They have their first and second rounders for the next couple of seasons, so the capital is there. If Vegas wants a gritty winger that’ll immediately net some goals, Bertuzzi is a pretty great choice.