It was 12 years ago today that the Calgary Flames signed free-agent Todd Bertuzzi to a one-year contract.

Bertuzzi, then 33, was coming off a year with the Anaheim Ducks and inked a $1.95-million deal to come back to Canada.

Someone who was once mired in the area became a big threat on the ice for the Flames. Bertuzzi said he wanted to come in and play an offensive role and that’s exactly what he did.

In 66 games for the Flames, Bertuzzi scored 15 goals and 44 points hitting the highest on-ice time he had seen in three years. He was a strong offensive contributor and offered a great secondary threat behind the Flames big offensive guns in Jarome Iginla, Mike Cammalleri and Daymond Langkow.

He helped Calgary get into the playoffs where he scored two assists in their six-game first-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks, whom they lost too.

Bertuzzi left the Flames after the 2008-09 season signing with the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he retired in 2014.

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