Former NY Islanders D Robert Bortuzzo finds new landing spot for 2024-25

Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, who played 23 games for the New York Islanders last season after being acquired from the St. Louis Blues for a 7th-round pick last December, signed a one-year, two-way contract with Utah HC for next season.

The 35-year-old veteran, who won a Stanley Cup with St. Louis in 2019 did not register a point during the regular season (27 games between STL and NYI), but recorded the primary assist on Mathew Barzal's 2OT winner in Game 4 of the Isles' Eastern Conference Quarterfinal versus the Carolina Hurricanes, the team's only win in the five-game series, and the first OT winner for the home team in the history of UBS Arena.

"I knew I was coming to an organization with a lot of history," said Bortuzzo on clean-out day. "A group of guys that have a ton of character. We weren't able to get the job done this year, but it was fun to play with this group, and the end of this season was a fun run."

Bortuzzo was acquired after the Isles suffered a rash of injuries on the blue line in late November. He had been a healthy scratch for most of the season with the Blues, a franchise he had spent parts of 10 seasons with, and was looking for another opportunity to play. That happened until he suffered an injury on Jan. 2 at Colorado that kept him out of the lineup for several weeks. He returned to the lineup on Mar. 21, and with Scott Mayfield out for the remainder of the season following surgery, Bortuzzo played the final 12 regular season games and the five playoff games.

The Islanders open up their season at home on Oct. 10 versus Bortuzzo and Utah HC.