As a result, the winger will be heading to the open market as it opens tomorrow at noon eastern time. Dreger is reporting that the forward is expected to sign a deal around 4 years long with a cap hit more than 5 million dollars per season.
We can assume that his cap hit will likely be under 6 million but more than 5 considering the way Dreger is reporting this news. Either way, this deal was too rich for Brad Treliving's blood, which makes sense considering how much money the team has locked up in their top four forwards.
Bertuzzi had 21 goals and 43 points for the Leafs this season. Replacing that production will be difficult, but hopefully for the team's sake, they can find someone to replace him on a more team-friendly deal. Be sure to stay tuned over the coming weeks to see what the team does.