ST. LOUIS – Robert Bortuzzo’s run as the longest-tenured skater on the St. Louis Blues comes to an end.
The St. Louis Blues announced Friday via Twitter that they have traded Robert Bortuzzo to the New York Islanders in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick.
One of few players the Blues still retained from the 2019 Stanley Cup team entering this season, Bortuzzo now departs after spending parts of 10 seasons in St. Louis. The Blues acquired him in 2015 in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Bortuzzo was a consistent presence on defense for several years and was well known for his leadership and physicality. However, with the Blues investing big money into several defensemen in recent years and also trying to give opportunities to youngsters, his playing time has plummeted over the last two years. Bortuzzo had only dressed in four games this season prior to the move.
Bortuzzo is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season’s end. The Blues will presumably shed a little more than $1 million in cap space with the move, gain some draft capital and clear up a logjam at defense.
In his career with the Blues, Bortuzzo dressed for 424 games, collecting 16 goals and 38 assists.
