Calgary, AB (Best E Casino) - The Calgary Flames signed free agent veteran forward Todd Bertuzzi to a one-year contract on Monday.

"Todd is a proven scorer with the ability to play both wings," said Flames general manager Darryl Sutter. "He expressed to us that he wanted to play in Canada and that desire along with signing him to a one-year deal was important to our philosophy."

The Ducks placed Bertuzzi on unconditional waivers last month for the purpose of buying out the final year of his contract, after he tallied 14 goals and 26 assists in 68 games last season -- his first and only with the club.

Two seasons ago, in a campaign cut short by a back injury and subsequent surgery, Bertuzzi only recorded three goals and 11 points in 15 games with the Panthers and Red Wings. Bertuzzi had been shipped to south Florida in a blockbuster trade in June, 2006, only to be dealt to Detroit at that season's trade deadline.

Once the 23rd overall pick of the New York Islanders in the 1995 draft, Bertuzzi grew into one of the game's preeminent power forwards during his tenure with the Canucks (1998-2006). Paired with former team captain Markus Naslund, Bertuzzi racked up 132 goals and 287 points from 1999-2003.

In 2003-04, he posted 17 goals and 60 points in 69 games, but his season was truncated after an ugly on-ice incident against Colorado's Steve Moore on March 8, 2004. Bertuzzi was suspended for the remainder of the regular season and all Canucks playoff games, then given a token suspension for the entire cancelled 2004-05 season.

Bertuzzi responded with 25 goals and 71 points, skating in all 82 contests in 2005-06 for Vancouver, but the legal and emotional complications from the incident dictated a change of scenery for the burly winger.

In 793 career NHL games, with the Islanders, Vancouver, Detroit, Florida and Anaheim, Bertuzzi has collected 240 goals and 340 assists. He has only posted nine goals and 23 points in 46 postseason outings.