Bertucci’s second AHL season was steady, mid-lineup work: 24 points in 63 games with a plus-7 and 53 penalty minutes, plus two playoff appearances. The 2023 second-rounder is developing exactly as his junior profile suggested, more responsible than dynamic, with the offense arriving as a byproduct of clean first passes and good point activation rather than any power-play quarterbacking. He carried a real defensive load again this season on a Texas blue line that turned over constantly around him, and at 20 he remains one of the youngest regulars on the club’s back end. The path in front of him opened this spring. Kolyachonok left the organization in free agency, and the incoming Anderson and Minnetian signings are right-shot and pro-tested but not offensive threats, which leaves the puck-moving role on the AHL blue line up for grabs. His fantasy case remains a slow burn, tied to whether the offense scales with responsibility. The number that matters next season is power-play usage: if Texas hands him the top unit at 21, the 40-point AHL season that would signal a real NHL trajectory is on the table.

Bertucci is expected to play for the Texas Stars in 2025-26, potentially in a top-four role with power play time. During the 2024-25 OHL regular season, his offensive output did not progress as scouts anticipated, but it showed up in the playoffs where he registered over a point per game during 16 games. Should his defensive abilities cross over to the professional game, he’s most likely two to three years away from competing for a regular spot in the Stars’ bottom four defence group. If his offence flourishes in a structured environment, he might even sprinkle some power play time for fantasy managers by then.

Tyler Bertucci’s strengths include his silky smooth skating and his elite hockey IQ. While he is not quite classified as a puck-moving defenseman, he is very good at protecting the puck and uses his excellent hockey sense to make quick decisions with the puck. Bertucci can initiate a breakout and is very accurate in his passing. However, the main component of Bertucci’s game is played on his own end. He is a shutdown defenseman and is able to get good reads and anticipate plays before they happen. Standing at six feet, two inches, he is not the most physical defenseman, but he uses his body to create space and be a force around the boards. He also is very good with his stick, getting it in lanes and breaking up passes. If he can develop an offensive game to match his defensive prowess, Bertucci could be a second-round steal.