Huge surprise! 50-year-old NHL legend returns to the rink – “Like riding a bike”

Todd Bertuzzi will be back in the hockey game next season.

NHL legend Todd Bertuzzi, 50, who played his last professional games in the 2014–2015 season, announced that he will return to the field next season in a Cambridge Hornets jersey.

The team plays in the legendary amateur league in the province of Ontario, Canada.

– There are a lot of young and fast guys there. I respect them, the league and what they do. I’m not coming back because it’s going to be a carnival, but because I feel healthy enough to play and I want to help them win the championship, Bertuzzi said at a press conference.

Bertuzz last played competitively 11 years ago. Since then, he has mostly appeared in exhibition games. He still believes that his skills are still there.

– I believe this is the same as riding a bike.

Experience

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Bertuzzi brings to the team experience from top teams. He has played in the NHL for 18 seasons and 1,159 regular season games with 314+456=770. During his NHL career, he represented the New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames.

– For me, it’s about sharing my knowledge of hockey and my experiences. I’ve played on a lot of teams, been in great locker rooms with great players. I have quite a bit of knowledge about this game, and I believe I can help the group.

Hornets head coach Jeff McCormick is naturally pleased with the team’s new star player. He believes that young players can learn a lot from Bertuzzi just by watching him on the ice and preparing for games.

– He’s going to be a leader who leads by example. He knows what it takes to win. The guys are going to learn that, McCormick said.

The Case of Moore

Bertuzzi scored 97 points in his best season and played in the NHL All-Star Game a couple of times, but he is best remembered for the Moore scandal that occurred on March 8, 2004.

The power forward punched Colorado’s Steve Moore in the head from behind and jumped on him in retaliation for Moore’s ugly tackle on Bertuzzi’s linemate Markus Näslund a month earlier.

Moore suffered such serious injuries in the crash that he was unable to continue his professional career in the NHL. Bertuzzi, on the other hand, received a huge suspension that ended in August 2005. After the suspension, the star forward never returned to his peak level.