Ducks waive Todd Bertuzzi
NHL
During his season in Anaheim, the veteran forward was unable to display his previous high-scoring touch. The Ducks plan to buy out the year remaining on Bertuzzi's contract.
Loyalty can only go so far when it comes to dealing with tough salary-cap decisions in the new NHL and Todd Bertuzzi found out the hard way Friday.
Bertuzzi's attempt to reclaim his All-Star form with the Ducks lasted only one season as the club put the burly winger on waivers with the intention of buying out the remaining year on his contract.
General Manager Brian Burke cut loose the enigmatic 33-year-old winger, who became a star under Burke when both were with the Vancouver Canucks but whose production has dropped off dramatically in recent years.
Bertuzzi had 14 goals and 40 points in 68 games last season, far from the 97 points he had in 2002-03 with the Canucks.
Burke signed him to a two-year, $8-million contract last summer largely as a means to fill the void created by Teemu Selanne, who didn't return to the team until this past February.
Friday's move, Burke said, was made strictly to gain some room under the salary cap. If Bertuzzi isn't claimed by today, which is likely, the Ducks will have to buy out the winger for $2.67 million with a salary-cap hit of $1.33 million in each of the next two seasons.
Bertuzzi was to make $4 million next season.
"At the end of the day, I can't justify him being at that number," Burke said. "There's no beef with the player whatsoever. I do this with a heavy heart."
The club will have $2.67 million of immediate cap relief, money that can help in the re-signing of winger Corey Perry, a potential restricted free agent who could command up to $5 million on the market after leading the team last season with 29 goals.
Bertuzzi's agent, Pat Morris, said his client expected he might become a victim of the Ducks' tight financial situation.
"The Ducks have cap issues and in order to deal with them, they either can trade some players or buy them out," said Morris, who also represents Perry. "This is solely an economic decision that Anaheim has made, at least that's how it was delivered to me.
"Todd is not surprised but certainly disappointed because he enjoyed the year in Anaheim. He loved the area. He could have signed any number of places but he chose Anaheim to try to win a Stanley Cup. Anaheim has a right to do what it did."
The Ducks likely will need to move another player or two in order to sign Perry and perhaps Selanne if the latter decides to come back for one more season now that defenseman Scott Niedermayer is coming back for one more.
