The Bruins clearly are going all in to win a Stanley Cup this year and further proved their point Thursday by trading for Tyler Bertuzzi.
Boston acquired the forward from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for draft picks, and Bertuzzi will be a welcome addition to the lineup especially after the Bruins received bad news on Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno.
General manager Don Sweeney has been tremendous this trade deadline and last year’s when he acquired Hampus Lindholm from the Anaheim Ducks. After acquiring Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway from the Washington Capitals last week, many thought Sweeney was done making moves.
Bertuzzi, who head coach Jim Montgomery called a “sandpaper guy,” won’t play Thursday night for the Bruins, but his new head coach already is happy to have him on board.
“My first reaction was, ‘Boom!’ I stuck my knuckles out to (Sweeney),” Montgomery said Thursday at Warrior Ice Arena. “So I was happy.”
The Bruins now have the luxury of depth both on offense and defense, which will make for some tough decisions for Montgomery going forward. But it’s a good problem to have.
“There’ll be some tinkering because we’ll have the options to do it,” Montgomery said of his lineup. ” … I think Bertuzzi is another player who can play every position except for center.”
The losses of Hall and Foligno for the foreseeable future certainly is a blow to the Bruins, but that’s why Sweeney pulled the trigger on a trade for Bertuzzi.
“That’s why we needed to go out and add another player that can come in and help us win hockey games right now,” Montgomery said.
Bertuzzi figures to make his debut Saturday afternoon against the New York Rangers at TD Garden.
