Utah's Robert Bortuzzo Gets Fitting Send-Off In Utah's Season Finale
As last night's game came to an end and the Utah Hockey Club's first chapter closed, it looked like their defenseman Robert Bortuzzo could be calling it a career.
Bortuzzo, 36, has been a very reliable NHL player over his 14-year career. In that time, he played for the St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, and Utah.
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After starting his career with the Penguins back in 2011-12, he played in three seasons before being traded to the Blues for fellow Utah defenseman Ian Cole in 2015.
St. Louis is where he made a name for himself and played the bulk of his career. He spent 10 seasons with the Blues, and during that time, he won a Stanley Cup in 2019.
In 2023, his time with the Blues came to an end when he was traded to the Islanders for a 2024 seventh-round pick. However, he would only suit up for 23 games with New York.
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After that season ended, he signed with Utah in August of 2023 on a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000. Unfortunately, he missed a fair bit of time due to injury. However, he was able to come back and play in Utah's last game against the Blues — a perfect send-off, if this is, in fact, the end of the line for him.
During the game last night, he was given a tribute from the Blues' organization, as it was his first time back at Enterprise Center since being traded. The Hockey News' own Lou Korac captured the video.
It hasn't been 100% confirmed that this is it for Bortuzzo, but all signs point to last night being the final game of his career. If so, he had one heck of a career and will retire not only a Stanley Cup champion but also a very respected person in the league.
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Congrats, Bortuzzo.
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