Detroit may shop Bertuzzi due to anti-vaxx stance; McCarty says Bertuzzi may be ''in the way''

The Detroit Red Wings are rumoured to be scouting the interest level of other teams in winger Tyler Bertuzzi - who just last month confirmed that he has no intent on agreeing to receive the vaccine this season.

While GM Steve Yzerman isn't necessarily shopping Bertuzzi at the moment, this certainly seems like the preliminary phase of the shopping process.

Bertuzzi, 26, has taken a bit of a hard stance against the vaccine for his own reasons. He has held firm to the fact that it should be a choice, rather than a mandate.

Part of the issue here seems to be that Bertuzzi's choice will not only carry potential consequences for himself, but it will also carry certain consequences for his team.

Former Red Wing Darren McCarty knows a thing or two about being a good teammate and putting his team ahead of himself, after spending 13 seasons in Detroit, playing some of the hardest minutes you can imagine.

On Friday, McCarty was a guest on Woodward Sports, where he spoke about Bertuzzi's unwillingness to do whatever it takes to be there for his teammates, acknowledging that while everyone has a choice in their personal life, in hockey you have to be all in for the sake of your team.

"I respect anybody's decision," McCarty said. "In saying that in the hockey world is different.

"It would be tough, because you've got to – for lack of a better term – go to war and (you've got to know) that everybody's all in."

"If somebody is not 100% committed because they can't be there or anything like that, then you're going to war without all your guys," McCarty said. "This is one of those things where you're either in, or you're in the way."

Bertuzzi is the lone member on the Detroit Red Wings' roster who has chosen not to get vaccinated, which will force him out of all 9 road games in Canada this season.

There's really no telling if Bertuzzi will be moved this season after signing a two-year, $9.5M deal ($4.75M AAV) with the wings on July 31st.

The door is also still open for Bertuzzi to come around and agree to become vaccinated as well, though I wouldn't put money on that being the outcome here.

Source: Detroit Hockey Now

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