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Utah Hockey Club Signs Stanley Cup Champion Defenseman

The Utah Hockey Club signed a Stanley Cup-winning defender to their roster.

Jacob Punturi

Dec 9, 2023; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Robert Bortuzzo (41) warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Kings at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 9, 2023; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Robert Bortuzzo (41) warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Kings at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports / John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

As the Utah Hockey Club gears up for their inaugural season, their expectations are growing. Despite missing the postseason last year as the Arizona Coyotes, the team is much improved heading into the 2024-2025 season. With a new city and arena full of fans behind them, Utah could surprise many.

With training camp just a few weeks away, Utah is bringing in another veteran to challenge for a roster spot. The team announced that they signed defenseman Robert Bortuzzo to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay him $775,000 at the NHL level.

Bortuzzo is a Stanley Cup-winning defensemen, capturing the title with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. A veteran of 560 NHL games, the 35-year-old was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third round of the 2007 NHL Draft.

The Thunder Bay, Ontario-native played his first NHL games during the 2011-2012 season, but became a regular NHL'er during the 2013-2014 season. Breaking through with the Penguins he played 54 games during the '13-'14 campaign, registering 10 assists and displaying a highly physical nature on the ice.

After a few years in and out of the Penguins' lineup, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2015. With the Blues, Bortuzzo became a regular part of their defensive pairings, playing in 59 regular season games during their championship season. He added on an additional 17 playoff games as the Blues took down the Boston Bruins in the finals. Bortuzzo played nine and a half seasons total in St. Louis.

Last season, he signed with the New York Islanders, but injuries limited him to just 23 games. He failed to register a point, but he did average over 14 minutes per game, his highest since the 2020-2021 season.

Signing with the Utah Hockey Club, Bortuzzo is one of many veterans the team acquired this offseason. He joins defensemen John Marino, Mikhail Sergachev, and Ian Cole in a revamped and suddenly crowded blue line in Utah.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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