Court considers ordering ex-Canucks owner to testify in Moore-Bertuzzi suit

Detroit Red Wings winger Todd Bertuzzi (centre) celebrates his goal with teammates Johan Franzen (93) and Daniel Alfredsson (11) as Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jarred Tinordi (24) skates by during first period National Hockey League action Wednesday, February 26, 2021 in Montreal. Lawyers for former NHL player Steve Moore are in court in Toronto today trying to force the former owner of the Vancouver Canucks to testify in Moore’s lawsuit against Bertuzzi. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

The Canadian Press

TORONTO - Lawyers for former NHL player Steve Moore are in court in Toronto today trying to force the former owner of the Vancouver Canucks to testify in Moore’s lawsuit against Todd Bertuzzi.

Moore is suing Bertuzzi, the Canucks and the company that owned the team at the time for $38 million for a 2004 on-ice hit that ended Moore’s hockey career.

The sucker punch left Moore, then a Colorado Avalanche player, with a concussion and three fractured vertebrae and Bertuzzi pleaded guilty to a criminal charge of assault causing bodily harm.

It’s now 10 years after the infamous hit and with the civil lawsuit moving toward trial, Moore’s lawyers are asking the Ontario Superior Court to compel former Canucks owner John McCaw Jr. to testify either in person or via video in Seattle.

Lawyer Tim Danson says a jury should be able to hear McCaw Jr. answer whether he knew Canucks players were gunning for retaliation against Moore for a hit weeks earlier on former Canucks’ captain Markus Naslund that resulted in a concussion, and if he knew, did he do anything to stop it.

Bertuzzi has alleged the Canucks’ coach urged his players to make Moore “pay the price,” while then-coach Marc Crawford has claimed Bertuzzi disobeyed instructions to get off the ice before Moore was attacked.