Former Maple Leafs Forward presently  Facing Accusations

The Toronto Maple Leafs had to choose between re-signing one of their top two pending free-agent forwards, Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi. They opted for Domi, signing him to a four-year, $15 million deal, while Bertuzzi moved on to the Chicago Blackhawks with a four-year, $22 million contract.

Bertuzzi’s move to Chicago wasn’t initially in his plans until he received a call from former Boston Bruins teammate Nick Foligno, who convinced him to join the Windy City squad. Bertuzzi confirmed on July 5, “Chicago wasn’t really on my radar. Then, the day before free agency, Nick Foligno called me and said, ‘They’re a little bit interested.’ I was excited about that, and then things kind of went from there.”

Bertuzzi elaborated, “We talked about the organization, the city, where to live, and things that are important to me and my family while obviously moving to a new city.”

The timing of Foligno’s contact has raised questions about potential tampering, which Bertuzzi inadvertently confirmed by revealing their conversations. The NHL defines tampering as any attempt to influence a player under contract with another team.

Given the nature of the discussions between Bertuzzi and Foligno, and the fact they occurred while Bertuzzi was still under contract (before July 1, 2024), Bertuzzi is facing accusations of tampering.

As of now, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has not indicated any plans to investigate or take action regarding these allegations, and no reports about Bettman taking any action have emerged as of July 11.