Newcomer Robert Bortuzzo pleased with prospect of more ice time with Islanders
Robert Bortuzzo wasted little time with his Islanders rites of passage.
Development coach Johnny Boychuk dropped off some shaving cream, said the newly acquired defenseman, who until Saturday sported facial hair. I wanted to shave it for a while. Well see what my wife says. Its a cool thing that everyones bought into.
Bortuzzo, who made his debut with the Islanders in Saturdays 3-2 overtime win over the Kings, was more than happy to get rid of the beard if it meant moving to the Island.
After a decade with the Blues that included the high of winning the 2019 Stanley Cup, he felt like hed played out the string there, having gotten into just four games this season before the Islanders sent a seventh-round pick to St. Louis to acquire his services.
Blues general manager Doug Armstrong told Bally Sports Midwest on Friday night that he and Bortuzzo had talked over the last month or so about finding the 34-year-old an opportunity where he would get more ice time. That turned out to be the Islanders, who were in dire need of defense help after Ryan Pulock (lower-body) became their third blueliner to hit injured reserve on Friday night.
3New Islanders Robert Burtozzo (right) celebrates with Ilya Sorokin after the Islanders’ 3-2 overtime win over the Kings. NHLI via Getty ImagesWeve had a great relationship, Bortuzzo said of Armstrong. I thank them a bunch for finding me a home. We wanted to try and make it work in St. Louis, they were going in another direction. I think it kind of ran its course there. For him to be willing to work with me to try and find me a place, cant say enough about that.
Bortuzzo skated for 16:03 against the Kings on a pair with Samuel Bolduc, including 3:13 on the penalty kill. The early reviews were positive.
I liked him, coach Lane Lambert said. Hes a presence for our team. Hes a presence in the room. Certainly communicates with Bolduc. I think Bolducs playing well and I think Robert has an impact on that, and had an impact on that tonight.
As playing time goes, its not entirely clear how much longevity there will be for Bortuzzos spot in the lineup.
3Islanders defenseman Robert Bortuzzo warms up before his franchise debut against the Kings on Saturday at UBS Arena. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con That might depend as much on how long Pulock, Sebastian Aho and Adam Pelech are on the shelf as it does on anything Bortuzzo himself does.
Aho, who again skated with the team Saturday morning, looks to be the closest of the three to a return.
see also
Bo Horvats Islanders chemistry with Mathew Barzal keeps improving: ‘Way better’
Pelech, who is eligible to come off long-term injured reserve on Dec. 19, resumed skating on his own Friday, Isles coach Lane Lambert said.
For now at least, the hope is that Bortuzzo can fill a hole in a similar manner to Mike Reilly, who was added off waivers after Aho and Pelech went down a couple weeks ago.
St. Louis has played very similar to us through the neutral zone and in the defensive zone, Lambert said. Should be a pretty easy transition for him and thats just through communication and understanding.
Traditionally a stay-at-home defenseman, Bortuzzo was paired with Samuel Bolduc against the Kings, with Reilly continuing to partner Scott Mayfield.
Though he came in without knowing anyone in the Islanders dressing room, Bortuzzo said he got texts from former Islanders Nick Leddy and Tomas Greiss, both joking about shaving the beard.
Compared to the Blues, a team currently in rebuild mode after the high of its Cup win, Bortuzzo was thrilled to be going to an organization looking to win now.
3The Islanders traded for Robert Bortuzzo on Friday. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConIt is tough to leave, but I think thats why Im so excited for this opportunity, Bortuzzo said. Felt like Ive done enough to stay ready throughout the year. Kinda done some of this coming in and out of the lineup throughout my career. Thankful for the opportunity, excited for the opportunity. Ive known that nothings really give to you in this league. Gotta compete and Ive had to do that my whole career for a spot. I look at this the same way.
How does Bortuzzo view the identity of his new team?
High-end compete, he said. No easy nights, a team that never cheats the game, plays the game the right way. I think youll get that same answer from a lot of guys around the league.
I played in a place that kinda had the same m.o. For a long time and kinda paralleled each other for a long time here with some success. You can just tell theres a fire and a compete among the group that is great to see, frankly.
As for his first game?
I tried to keep it simple, Bortuzzo said. Found our rhythm, hopefully quicker than not. Felt like I got some trust from the coaches and got to play in some situations. Just happy for this group to pull out a big win like that.
How many decks are used in poker?
In most popular poker variants, such as Texas Hold'em and Omaha, a standard deck of 52 playing cards is used. Each deck contains four suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades) and consists of 13 ranks (Ace, 2 through 10, and the face cards: Jack, Queen, and King).
What is the bonus code for WPT Global Poker 2023?
The best bonus code for WPT Global is WPT777. By entering the bonus code, players will get a welcome bonus 100% up to $1,200 on the first deposit. The minimum deposit is $20.
What is the best WPT Global bonus code?
Use the WPT Global bonus code WPT777 when registering to get a 100% deposit bonus up to $1200 plus a $100 No Deposit poker bonus.
