Robert Bortuzzo

Robert Bortuzzo
Bortuzzo with the Penguins in 2014.
Born March 18, 1989
Thunder Bay, ON, CAN
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Right
NHL team
Former teams
St. Louis Blues
Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL Draft 78th overall, 2007
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 2009present

Robert Bortuzzo (born March 18, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Bortuzzo was picked up by the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League in 2006 after leading the Fort William North Stars of the Superior International Junior Hockey League to a league championship, a Dudley Hewitt Cup, and an overtime away from playing in the 2006 Royal Bank Cup final.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Bortuzzo celebrates his first NHL goal.

Bortuzzo was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 3rd Round (78th overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League for the Kitchener Rangers. In his three years with the Rangers he recorded 49 points and 152 penalty minutes in 138 games.[1]

Bortuzzo won the Hamilton Spectator Trophy in his second year as a member of the 2007–08 Kitchener Rangers.[2]

Bortuzzo at a morning skate with the Penguins in Raleigh, NC, in 2011.

On November 5, 2011, Bortuzzo made his NHL debut. Called up from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Bortuzzo was inserted into the Pittsburgh line-up to fill-in for Ben Lovejoy who had broken his wrist the previous game.[3] Bortuzzo was injured during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on December 8, 2011 due to a hit from Zac Rinaldo. He was out for several weeks with a concussion, but was able to return to action in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton later that season.

The 2012–13 lockout-shortened season saw Bortuzzo's role continue to increase on the team, as he was used as a depth defensemen who played in 15 of the 48 games. On February 2, 2013, Bortuzzo scored his first NHL goal against goaltender Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils. The Penguins went on to defeat the Devils 5-1.[4] However, despite the Penguins' lengthy run to the Eastern Conference Finals, Bortuzzo was a healthy scratch throughout the playoffs.

In the 2013–14 season, Bortuzzo saw his playing time continue to increase, in part due to rampant injuries among the Penguins defensive core. He played in 54 of the 82 game regular season, recording 10 assists. On April 26, 2014, Bortuzzo played in his first career playoff game against the Columbus Blue Jackets after Brooks Orpik sustained an undisclosed upper body injury in the previous Game 4.[5] He played 13:36 ice time in the game with no goals or assists and was even on plus/minus. On May 5, 2014 Bortuzzo recorded his first playoff point.

St. Louis Blues

On March 2, 2015 Bortuzzo was traded by the Penguins to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Ian Cole.[6]

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2006–07 Kitchener Rangers OHL 63 2 12 14 67 9 1 2 3 8
2007–08 Kitchener Rangers OHL 52 3 15 18 61 18 0 8 8 14
2008–09 Kitchener Rangers OHL 23 1 16 17 24
2009–10 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 75 2 10 12 109 4 0 0 0 0
2010–11 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 79 4 22 26 111 12 0 1 1 6
2011–12 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 6 0 0 0 2
2011–12 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 51 3 9 12 61 12 0 1 1 13
2012–13 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 31 1 3 4 34
2012–13 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 15 2 2 4 27
2013–14 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 54 0 10 10 74 8 0 1 1 4
2014–15 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 38 2 4 6 68
2014–15 St. Louis Blues NHL 13 1 1 2 25
NHL totals 126 5 17 22 196 8 0 1 1 4

References

External links