Tyler Bertuzzi needs to get going as Blackhawks’ offensive struggles continue

Through 13 games of the regular season, the Chicago Blackhawks have the second-worst offense in the league, averaging 2.08 goals per game. 

The Hawks were without captain Connor Bedard to start the season, but since his return, they have scored just 15 goals in seven games. It has been a rough start, and rather than asking what options general manager Kyle Davidson could pursue externally, Chicago should look at what its current roster is producing.

One forward who needs to get going is Tyler Bertuzzi, who was brought in at a modest $5.5 million cap hit that now looks like a bargain for a 40- to 50-point player, but he hasn't looked like the same player so far. 

The 31-year-old has two goals and three assists for five points in 13 games, a 32-point pace. That would be his worst point total since 2022-23, when he missed 32 games due to injury, and the lowest total over a full season in his career.

Bertuzzi is in a favorable position to turn it around. Last season he played mostly with Frank Nazar and Teuvo Teräväinen, or with Bedard and André Burakovsky and so far this season has continued to play in the top-six. This season he has been skating with 19-year-old Anton Frondell and Ryan Donato but not playing with his routine linemate from a season ago in Teräväinen may be quietly playing a role in his slow start. 

The two were solid together on a line last season, producing ten goals for with just five against. This season, with Frondell at center, that group was Chicago's best offensive line, with three goals for and one against and should be considered to be brought back together to get Bertuzzi going.

Bertuzzi's skating stats among most glaring issues

The underlying numbers aren't kind to Bertuzzi as he has 41 speed bursts between 18 and 20 miles per hour, roughly 28 below the league average, and his single burst between 20 and 22 miles per hour is about 15 below average. 

The league average is 2.80 miles per game, and he has surpassed that mark in just two of his 13 games. He needs to get his feet under him and reach at least league-average numbers, let alone be the standout expected in the Hawks' top six.

That raises the question of whether coach Jeff Blashill needs to get more out of Bertuzzi, who is on pace for the worst season of his career while playing a major role. If the slow start continues, Chicago may also need to consider moving on.

Many contenders could be willing to take a dependable 40-plus-point depth player on a modest cap hit, and Bertuzzi has only an eight-team no-trade list, so he could be moved for future assets to help the rebuild if the Hawks can't solve his early-season struggles.

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