The Detroit Red Wings announced Monday that wingers Tyler Bertuzzi (upper-body) and Jakub Vrana (personal reasons) would not be in the lineup against the Los Angeles Kings.
Tyler Bertuzzi will be sidelined anywhere from 4-6 weeks after blocking a shot with his hand on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils. Bertuzzi has one assist in two games this season, as the Red Wings are currently 2-0. It is undetermined how long Vrana will be out.
Losing Bertuzzi for a month is a problem for the Red Wings. Although they brought in reinforcements during the offseason, Bertuzzi was one of the offensive leaders on this team. He has been on the top line since his NHL debut in 2016-2017.
He made an impact early, playing on the top line with Dylan Larkin and former Red Wing Anthony Mantha. After Mantha was traded, Bertuzzi remained on the top line and still produced. He remains on that top line this season with rookie standout Lucas Raymond.
Detroit Red Wings Tyler Bertuzzi Out 4-6 Weeks with Upper-Body Injury
Going into tonight’s game against the Kings could be trouble without their two top left wingers in the lineup. The situation is the question of who replaces them. First on my list would be Filip Zadina and Dominik Kubalik.
Tyler Bertuzzi (upper body) will be out 4-6 weeks. Jakub Vrana (personal reasons) will be unavailable tonight.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 17, 2022
Zadina has played well and deserves at least a look with Larkin and Raymond. Kubalik would look good on line two with Andrew Copp and David Perron. Both players are offensive weapons and could bring a different aspect to the lines. There may be a call-up on how long they think Vrana will be out of action. If Vrana is not out more than a week, Detroit could fill that void within the organization. If it is longer than a week, this situation would warrant a call-up.
The top line will not be affected because of the play of Larkin and Raymond. Whomever coach Derek Lalonde puts on that line will produce because offensive firepower the entire lineup brings. This situation may also call for coach Lalonde to play with the lines and see what works most. For now, I expect Zadina or Kubalik to take the left-wing spot on that line, with the other taking the same spot on the second line.