The Guelph Storm will honour Todd Bertuzzi in a sweater-raising ceremony Nov. 26 prior to their game versus the London Knights.
Bertuzzi will be on hand as the number 44 he wore during his four year career with the Guelph Storm is raised to the rafters.
The Sudbury native played for the Storm from 1991 to 1995 before moving on to the National Hockey League where he played 1,159 games over 20 seasons with the New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames and Detroit Red Wings.
Bertuzzi also represented Canada at the 1998 and 2000 IIHF World Championships and the 2006 Winter Olympics, becoming the first Storm alumnus to represent Canada in the Olympics.
The game on Nov. 26 starts at 4 p.m.
Bertuzzi was the franchise’s first ever pick in the OHL Priority Selection and he holds the franchise record for goals in a season, is third in career points, fourth in career goals, assists, and playoff points.
"Todd Bertuzzi was not only the first ever player selected by the Storm, but he was undoubtedly one of the cornerstones of the franchise,” Storm general manager Mike Kelly said.
“While Todd was an excellent player throughout his four-year OHL career, it was his play during the 1994-95 season, particularly during the Storm's playoff run to the OHL finals that year, that was a defining moment of his OHL career. It was easily the most dominant performance that I have witnessed in my 13-year history as the Storm’s general manager."
Bertuzzi’s number 44 will be deemed an ‘honoured’ number in the pre-game ceremony, and will join Jeff O’Neill’s 92 as the only two numbers honoured by the Storm.
The Storm does not retire numbers other than the number 18, officially retired in 2008 to honour Paul Fendley who passed away after a fatal on-ice accident in 1972.
The game will be the hockey club’s second homecoming game for Storm alumni and their families. All former players and their families will be invited to attend the game on Nov. 26 in several suites hosted by the Storm.
