Blackhawks veteran being overlooked despite recent play

Bertuzzi had a hat trick in a 5-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks and two goals in the last game against the Calgary Flames, where the Hawks won 4-0.

Bertuzzi has two power play goals in that stretch, one in each game, and they've both been assisted by Connor Bedard (who is second in the league in points and had a four-point night against the Flames) and put in on the backdoor. Bedard also assisted another Bertuzzi goal later in the third period against Calgary. Bertuzzi has six goals in the past five games.

Both of them were scrappy goals, one being a stick fight in the paint and one going in the back of the net off his leg after deflecting off of his stick.

Bertuzzi is 30 years old and offers valuable veteran experience in the top-six and on the first-line power play. So far this season, he has 12 points in 14 games with eight goals.
Last season, Bertuzzi had a quiet 23-goal and 46-point season in a fully played 82-game campaign.

He's in year two of his four-year contract he signed back in July of 2024, making $5.5 million per year.

Bertuzzi's best year came in the 2021-22 season when he was with the Detroit Red Wings, tallying 62 points in 68 games.

Right now, he could be on pace to top that. Obviously, he isn't going to keep scoring goals at this rate, but if he can at least keep up a solid pace, he has a shot. Blackhawks fans shouldn't overlook what he's producing at the moment.