According to reports, it's still early days in the negotiation game, but the Leafs are eager to lock things down before Bertuzzi hits the open market in July.
With Auston Matthews locked in for 4 years starting next season, anything beyond that might be pushing it. As for the AAV, around $5 million seems doable.
Bertuzzi's impact can be compared to Ryan Hartman's deal at 3 years, 4 mill AAV, and Ivan Barbashev's rolling with 5 years at $5 mill AAV. He has two Cups in the past few years, one with the ST Louis Blues in 2019 and the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. Bertuzzi, 29, has been waiting for his host, and Hartman's been a reliable goal scorer for the Dallas Stars.