The last few seasons in Detroit have weighed on Tyler Bertuzzi. At the same time, this is where he wants to be.
The 27-year-old winger set career highs this season in goals and points but the story was the same for the Red Wings, who missed the playoffs for the sixth year in a row.
Asked if all the losing is starting to frustrate him, Bertuzzi said Tuesday, "Yeah, I feel like we’ve been having this talk for three years now. It’s very frustrating. We gotta come together as a group, as a team and try to get over this hump."
Bertuzzi arrived in Detroit in the 2016-17 season when the Red Wings' 25-year playoff streak came to an end. He's experienced the lows of the rebuild. He'd like to stick around for the highs. And GM Steve Yzerman would like to have him.
Yzerman said earlier this season he intends to extend Bertuzzi and Dylan Larkin before they hit unrestricted free agency next summer. And Bertuzzi, who has one year left on the two-year, $9.5 million contract he signed last summer, said Tuesday, "Obviously, I want to sign here."
"I love it here. And every player wants to sign contracts and be in the league as long as possible," Bertuzzi said. "I still have another year left and I think our whole team is trying to have a good summer in the gym to get better for next year."
Bertuzzi is in a good spot to negotiate a new deal. After entering the season amid concerns that he might be slowed by the back injury that cost him most of last season, he was even better. He produced at a near point-per-game pace and scored two goals in Detroit's final two games to hit 30 for the first time in his career.
"That was my goal," Bertuzzi said. "Not really coming into the season, but as the season went on I obviously really wanted it and I’m very happy I did. My teammates played a big part in that and it was a special moment for me."
A new deal could bring another special moment this summer. For Bertuzzi, winning in Detroit would be most special of all.