Michael Del Zotto

Ottawa Senators Remove Three From COVID Protocol

January 5, 2022 at 9:10 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Jan 5: Ennis, Norris, and Paul have all cleared the protocol and can rejoin their teammates at practice. With the team now off until January 8, the Senators will hopefully be mostly out of the woods.

Jan 3: The Ottawa Senators have added three more players to the COVID protocol, as Thomas Chabot, Zach Sanford, and Chris Tierney are now unavailable. With the extra roster spots, they have recalled Michael Del Zotto from the AHL and added Scott Sabourin to the taxi squad.

The Senators now have nine players in the protocol, though Anton Forsberg is expected to clear tomorrow. Joshua Norris, Tyler Ennis, Dillon Heatherington, Jacob Bernard-Docker, and Nick Paul are all on the sidelines, along with assistant coach Bob Jones and three members of the support staff.

Nearly every member of the Senators roster has now spent time on the COVID list at one point or another this season. Ottawa is set to play next on January 6 against the Seattle Kraken, but will be seriously shorthanded.

Michael Del Zotto Clears Waivers

December 11, 2021 at 1:02 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 5 Comments

Saturday: Del Zotto was not claimed, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.

Friday: When the Ottawa Senators recalled Jacob Bernard-Docker, it seemed likely that someone was going to find themselves on waivers soon after. That someone is Michael Del Zotto, who was placed on waivers today according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Del Zotto, 31, signed a two-year contract with the Senators in the summer, one that carries a cap hit of $2MM. The team has received just ten games for their money to this point, scratching him several times instead of putting him in the lineup. The coaching staff obviously doesn’t trust the veteran defenseman, as several other options have been inserted over him and now kept as he is placed on waivers. Dillon Heatherington, for instance, could still have been sent down without having to clear waivers again.

So the question is now what does Del Zotto’s future look like in Ottawa? The team has already buried Matt Murray in the minor leagues for the time being, paying his full salary despite the goaltender suiting up for the Belleville Senators, not the ones in Ottawa. Will they do the same with Del Zotto, who is owed a salary of $1.75MM this season and $2.25MM next?

Part of that $2MM cap hit will be removed from the books for the Senators–$1.125MM to be exact–but for a team nowhere near the ceiling, that doesn’t really provide much benefit. The team will still be paying Del Zotto his full salary regardless of where he is assigned. A trade seems to make the most sense, though it is. unlikely that any team is going to give up a legitimate asset, even if he does clear waivers. In this case that would increase his value, as the acquiring team could put him in the minors, but there’s still not going to be much of a return on investment for Ottawa.

Interestingly enough, Del Zotto has still put up points even in his limited showings. With six points in ten games, he’s shown once again that he can contribute offensively, even if his defensive play leaves something to be desired. A veteran of more than 700 NHL games, perhaps a contender will feel as though he can help their depth down the stretch.

Atlantic Notes: Mrazek, Del Zotto, Cernak, Bogosian

December 11, 2021 at 12:38 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 3 Comments

The Maple Leafs will activate goaltender Petr Mrazek off LTIR to start him tonight against Chicago, notes Postmedia’s Lance Hornby (Twitter link). The veteran has been limited to just two appearances this season due to a groin injury and after being brought in to push Jack Campbell for playing time, it may be hard to come by with Campbell currently sporting a 1.99 GAA with a .935 SV%. Joseph Woll, who had been serving as Toronto’s backup, will soon return to the minors.

While not yet announced by the team, it would appear as if winger Mitch Marner will be transferred to LTIR to create the cap space for the Maple Leafs to activate Mrazek. Marner suffered a shoulder injury in practice earlier this month that was expected to keep him out for a few weeks. In his case, an LTIR transfer (which can be done retroactively to his initial IR placement) would keep him out for at least 10 games and 24 days.

Ottawa’s Erik Brannstrom Suffers Broken Hand

November 12, 2021 at 7:47 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 12 Comments

It’s almost becoming comical at this point. On Thursday, the Ottawa Senators placed top-four defenseman Nikita Zaitsev in COVID Protocol, where he joined fellow defensemen Josh Brown, Victor Mete, and Nick Holden. Later that night, fellow top-four defender Artem Zub was knocked out of Ottawa’s match-up with the Los Angeles Kings with an upper-body injury. Now, just 24 hours later, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that young defenseman Erik Brannstrom suffered a broken hand in last night’s game as well and is out indefinitely.

It was just the second game of the season for Brannstrom, 22, who has still been trying to carve out a role for himself with the Senators. It could explain why Brannstrom not only played the whole game on Sunday, but skated in an abnormally high 18:56, perhaps trying to impress his coaches who were already short on blue line options. Whether this had any impact on the extent of the injury remains unknown. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch follows up on Dreger’s report by adding that the Senators are currently waiting for a determination on whether Brannstrom will need surgery or not. He believes that the blue liner will miss at least two months. It’s a critical setback for the 2017 first-round pick, who has not yet played up to expectations despite ample opportunity in Ottawa.

It will be hard for the Senators and their fans to focus on the long-term damage of the Brannstrom injury though when the short-term impact is so immense. The loss of Brannstrom on top of Zub plus the current COVID absences leaves the Senators with just seven healthy defenseman in the pro ranks, only four of whom are currently in the NHL. Fortunately, workhorse No. 1 defenseman Thomas Chabot is among the living, but the depth falls off immensely behind him. Veteran utility defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who has played in just six games this season, is the next best option, while the other two healthy NHLers are Dillon Heatherington, who made his season debut on Thursday, and Lassi Thomson, who made his NHL debut on Thursday. In Belleville, top prospect Jacob Bernard-Docker is almost a guaranteed recall before the Senators game on Saturday and an unheralded player such as Jonathan Aspirot or Maxence Guenette will likely receive the call as well. In turn, Belleville will have to load up on loans and tryouts in order to get by without their own defenders. The entire Senators organization needs their defense to get healthy as soon as possible.

Atlantic Notes: Batherson, Del Zotto, Hinostroza

August 7, 2021 at 2:49 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

Two years ago, the Senators thought they were buying low on the prime years of Colin White’s career when they handed him a six-year, $28.5MM contract. That hasn’t panned out particularly well so far but even so, Ian Mendes of The Athletic suggests (subscription link) that Ottawa could look to go down that road again, this time with winger Drake Batherson. The restricted free agent had a 17-goal, 17-assist performance last season and is someone that they project as a future 20-goal player. Locking him up now at a bit of a discount – he has just 99 career NHL games played which limits his negotiating leverage – could come in handy down the road as some of their upcoming top youngsters move off their entry-level deals into pricier second contracts. That type of long-term cap planning will be needed for the Sens to keep as much of their future core together as possible.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

Still with Ottawa, Michael Del Zotto’s two-year, $4MM contract with the Senators may have come as a surprise considering he had to earn a deal last season through the PTO route but the veteran told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch that there were four or five other offers on the table. The 31-year-old blueliner had 13 points in 53 games last season but is a bit of a curious fit in Ottawa with the acquisition of Nick Holden and the presence of young blueliners Erik Brannstrom and Victor Mete who are lefties like Del Zotto. Clearly, GM Pierre Dorion believes there’s a fit and with that many teams showing interest which certainly would have bolstered his market, Del Zotto got a bigger deal than expected.
The Sabres have been quiet in free agency so far with the biggest contract handed out being a one-year, $1.05MM deal for winger Vinnie Hinostroza. The 27-year-old told Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News that his history with Buffalo head coach Don Granato played a big role in his decision to sign there. Hinostroza had 25 points in 50 games with Chicago back in 2017-18 when Granato was an assistant coach before being moved in the 2018 summer to Arizona. He finished up on a high note last year after rejoining Chicago, notching a dozen points in 17 games.

Ottawa Senators Ink Deal With Michael Del Zotto

July 28, 2021 at 12:42 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 1 Comment

The Ottawa Senators announced today that they’ve signed defenseman Michael Del Zotto to a two-year deal. The contract is worth $4MM and pays him $2MM per season. Per CapFriendly, the contract is as follows:

2021-22: $1.75MM
2022-23: $2.25MM

Del Zotto turned a PTO with the Columbus Blue Jackets last fall into a contract and then quietly enjoyed a solid season as a physical presence and occasional offensive contributor for Columbus, outplaying his minimum contract. Now he’s cashed in this off-season, inking a multi-year deal and a decent pay raise with Ottawa. Just when it seemed like the days of “MDZ” being a well-compensated, top-four defenseman were over after over a decade as a reliable defender in the league, the Senators swooped in to reward him for a job well done.

While Ottawa was surely impressed by Del Zotto’s return to relevance last season, the most important piece for the rebuilding team may very well be his leadership and experience. It is the same reason why the Senators targeted Nick Holden in a trade today as well. The blue line suffered from a lack of veteran presence this past season and star Thomas Chabot could use some more support with a number of young defenseman in the mix. Del Zotto is a well-liked and well-respected defender who can help to lead and develop the Senators blue line over the next two years.

Free Agent Focus: Columbus Blue Jackets

June 30, 2021 at 7:27 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 3 Comments

Free agency is now just a little more than a month away and many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up. There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market in late July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. Columbus doesn’t have a lot of huge names to lock up, but it’s still an important offseason for the franchise.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Patrik Laine – It was an incredibly challenging year for the Finnish winger. After being dealt to Columbus by the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for center Pierre-Luc Dubois, Laine proceeded to put up the worst season of his career playing for the Blue Jackets. Struggling under the now-departed John Tortorella’s system, Laine put up just 21 points in 45 games with Columbus and only 10 goals. It’s a sharp decline after his 63-point campaign in 2019-20. While it’s expected that Laine should bounce back under different coaching next season, it’s tough to bank on that when assessing giving out a long-term contract. Due to his struggles this year, and the potential that Laine may not want to stay in Ohio, a bridge deal is likely in order. It’ll likely take him right up until his first season of unrestricted free agent eligibility, and the Blue Jackets will hope to return to being a contender by that point.

F Alexandre Texier – Drafted 45th overall by Columbus in 2017, Texier is slowly but surely making the transition to full-time NHLer. While Texier’s offensive pace dropped slightly this year with just four goals in 49 games, his ice time spiked to almost 16:00 per game this year. He’ll likely see more chances in a top-six role this coming season as Columbus turns to a youth movement. Regardless, it should be a cheap contract extension for Texier, likely under $3MM per season on a show-me deal. The French-born forward has shown some serious flashes of promise in the big leagues, and he’s looked at as a big future piece in Columbus’ middle-six forward group.

Other RFAs: F Kole Sherwood, F Cliff Pu, F Calvin Thurkauf, D Andrew Peeke, G Cam Johnson

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

D Michael Del Zotto – Del Zotto was a nice surprise on the back end for Columbus this season. The 31-year-old defender has bounced in and out of the lineup in recent years due to injury and poor play, but found a stable home with Columbus this season. He started out the season well in a third-pairing role, but moved up the lineup as injuries struck Columbus’ top defenders, especially Zach Werenski. Del Zotto wasn’t a dynamo offensively with just 13 points in 53 contests, but rediscovered his transitional game this season, having arguably his most defensively sound performance since his days with the New York Rangers. With his age and injury history, it’s still unlikely Del Zotto signs anything more than a one-year deal with any team. He’d certainly fit in well again in Columbus next season, as there’s no clear heir-apparent to his spot. With them potentially losing a defender like Dean Kukan to Seattle, re-signing Del Zotto could prove important for the Blue Jackets. Even if not, Del Zotto played well enough this season by most accounts to earn an NHL job again in 2021-22.

D Mikko Lehtonen – Coming over from the KHL with high expectations, Lehtonen mostly fell off the map this season. Signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs before the season’s start, Lehtonen failed to work his way into a regular spot. In an effort to get Lehtonen some more NHL opportunity, Toronto dealt him to Columbus midway through the season. But even with the Blue Jackets, Lehtonen couldn’t work his way out of a bottom-pairing role. Logging around 18 minutes a night in Columbus, Lehtonen posted just three points in 17 games and got caved in defensively most nights. While he had promise coming into the season, it’s likely that Lehtonen will go back to a more comfortable environment overseas.

Other UFAs: F Zac Dalpe, F Mikhail Grigorenko, F Stefan Matteau, F Ryan MacInnis, F Brandon Dubinsky, D Adam Clendening, D Gavin Bayreuther

Projected Cap Space

The Blue Jackets will have plenty of space to maneuver this offseason with around $23.8MM in cap space. With the minute list of players needing new contracts, and with Laine’s and Texier’s being the only real ones of value, the team will have plenty of room to add in free agency and on the trade market. Columbus’ scoring issues have been well-documented over the past few seasons, and it’s a foregone conclusion that something will be done this offseason to address it further. That available cap hit is also expected to increase with the impending trade of Seth Jones, meaning that Columbus may be able to outbid other teams for premium talent.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Trade Deadline Primer: Columbus Blue Jackets

March 14, 2021 at 1:33 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

Although we’re just two months into the season, the trade deadline is already a month away. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Columbus Blue Jackets franchise is nothing if not hopeful. After 17 years of remaining faithful, the team finally won a playoff series in 2019 and then won another in 2020. Even though their play this season has been disappointing at times, they are still in the running for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division and have a non-zero chance of catching the upstart Chicago Blackhawks and holding off the Dallas Stars.

With that said, this Blue Jackets team is in the bottom third of the league in goals for per game, goals against per game, power play, and penalty kill. Even if they sneak into the playoffs, even if they again wondrously upset the Tampa Bay Lightning, this is not a team with title hopes this year. This is not a team buying at the deadline.

Besides, the Blue Jackets already made their big move this season: the acquisition of two new core pieces in Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic. Columbus may not be playing up to their expectations this season, but it has been an odd year – and for this team in particular – and the Blue Jackets are probably best served to just take it easy at the trade deadline. Just as this is not a contending roster, it is equally not a roster in need of a rebuild. Columbus should stay the course. If they receive outstanding offers for their impending free agents or term depth players, they should consider. If they are faced with the opportunity to add a term depth player of their own, they should consider. By and large though, the Blue Jackets should focus on the group they currently have and see if they can sneak into the postseason. This is not a year for Columbus to do anything drastic.

Record

11-12-6, .483, 5th in Central Division

Deadline Status

Opportunistic Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$1.571MM in full-season space ($7.01MM at the trade deadline), 0/3 retention slots used, 43/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: CLB 1st, CLB 3rd, CLB 4th, CLB 5th, NJD 5th, CLB 6th, CLB 7th
2022: CLB 1st, CLB 2nd, CLB 4th, CLB 6th, ANA 7th

Trade Chips

The Blue Jackets are sitting on a pair of prime time impending free agents, but unlike 2019, when Columbus couldn’t bear to let Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky go without loading up and going for a run, the team has a different reason this time around to think twice about parting ways with their most valuable pieces. Nick Foligno and David Savard bleed Jackets blue. The former is the captain and the latter is a career Blue Jacket and the longest tenured player on the team. There is certainly some discussion in the front office about whether it is really worth it to part with either player. Of course, much of that also revolves around extension talks. If this is the end of Foligno and/or Savard in Columbus anyway, then the team should trade them. However, if either one wants to remain with the club in the future, likely re-signing after expansion, it could be better for all parties if they held on to them. Foligno especially, as the locker room leader for a team that is still within reach of a playoff spot, has value on the team this season, perhaps more than he would to any other team in the league. Foligno is also having a down year offensively and may not command a great return. Savard, on the other hand, is extremely valuable to a great many teams as an experienced shutdown defender on the right side. Yet, he also fits perfectly as a complement to the Blue Jackets’ more offensive-minded, puck-moving top pair and the team surely hopes that he wishes to remain in that role moving forward.

Fortunately for Columbus, they aren’t without other valuable rentals if Foligno and Savard stay put, albeit to a lesser extent. First-time Blue Jackets Michael Del Zotto and Mikhail Grigorenko could be nice depth additions for contenders, as could bottom-six center Riley Nash. None of them have had especially noteworthy seasons, but are useful additions nonetheless. Del Zotto especially is affordable and experienced – a nice acquisition for a cap-strapped team in need of skill on the blue line.

Among term players, there are certainly already some calling for the trade of Max Domi. The off-season acquisition, who signed a two-year extension with the team, has been nothing short of underwhelming this season. However, is there any upside to trading him now? Domi, who already has a reputation for not lasting long with teams, may be at the lowest point in trade value in his career. Especially in a cap-strapped climate, the Blue Jackets would almost certainly not get back fair value. The optics would also be bad, as counterpart Josh Anderson has found immediate success with the Montreal Canadiens. Columbus would be much better off to hold on to Domi and see if he can improve next season before making a decision on his future. Unless, of course, someone blows them away with an offer. Domi was expected to fill a hole down the middle for Columbus, so any deal to move him out right now should aim to bring another talented center in.

Despite a recent extension in February, there is a more logical reason to potentially move defenseman Dean Kukan. Kukan has missed some time this season, but has played well when healthy. As one of the top candidates to be selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, the Blue Jackets may choose instead to get value back for the blue liner if there is interest. Of course, they may also just hold out hope that Seattle goes in a different direction.

Of course, the big move that Columbus could make is to break up their young goalie tandem. With both Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins set to hit free agency after next season, there is some question as to the viability of retaining both beyond that point. Either one would certainly draw interest on the trade market, though a deal is more likely in the off-season. Specifically, when it comes to Korpisalo, there may be limited demand around the league for adding an eligible goalie prior to the expansion draft rather than after. His market would likely be improved in the summer. If the Blue Jackets decide to make a big change in net at the deadline rather than waiting for the summer, it is more likely to be Merzlikins on the move.

Others to Watch For: D Scott Harrington ($1.633M, UFA 2022), D Gabriel Carlsson ($725K, RFA 2022), D Adam Clendening ($700K, UFA), F Ryan MacInnis ($700K, Group 6 UFA)

Team Needs

1) Draft Picks and Prospects – Unfortunately, the Blue Jackets are still feeling the effects of their all-out approach at the 2019 trade deadline, as well as some other moves they have made. They have not had many high-value picks over the past two years and are still without some key selections moving forward, including a second-rounder this year and a third-rounder in 2022. With many of their top prospects having graduated to the pros as well, Columbus has a young NHL roster, but a lacking pipeline. In fact, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler ranked it 27th overall in the league, which would be easier to swallow if the team was performing better. Whether by picks or by prospects, the Blue Jackets need to try to replenish the system.

2) A Term Forward – The shrewd GM that he is, don’t be surprised to see Jarmo Kekalainen try to address the Expansion Draft ahead of the deadline. Assuming their most likely protection scheme and choices, the Blue Jackets are currently short one forward to meet the exposure quota that the draft demands, unless they re-sign Nash or Grigorenko, UFA’s they could instead trade, or Kevin Stenlund, who would also need to play regularly down the stretch to meet the games played criteria. Those options aren’t ideal and the Blue Jackets could just as easily find a player to trade for at a low price who covers them for expansion, but could also play a role next season if not selected. Although Columbus shouldn’t be a typical buyer at the deadline, an additional forward could also help in their continued pursuit of a playoff spot, especially if they move one or more of their impending free agents up front. Again, center is the team’s biggest positional need, but not necessarily the priority here in adding a player they plan to expose in expansion.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Michael Del Zotto

January 10, 2021 at 9:51 am CDT | by Zach Leach 2 Comments

Another PTO has resulted in a contract for the coming season. Veteran defenseman Michael Del Zotto, in camp with the Columbus Blue Jackets on a tryout basis, is now under contract, the team announced. It is a one-year, two-way contract for Del Zotto, who is set to play a depth role for Columbus. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline adds that the deal carries the minimum $700K NHL salary and a $400K AHL salary.

As Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen states in the team’s release, “the blue line is a real strength for our team, but you can never have enough good defensemen.” Although Columbus appears set with their top six, the off-season departures of Ryan Murray and Markus Nutivaara clearly left the team wanting to recoup some of their depth. Del Zotto will likely compete for a roster spot with the likes of Andrew Peeke (who is waiver-exempt), Gavin Bayreuther, Gabriel Carlsson, and Adam Clendening. If Del Zotto does not crack the 23-man group, he is an ideal candidate for the Blue Jackets’ taxi squad.

Del Zotto, who previously played under Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella when the pair were with the New York Rangers, is entering his 12th NHL season and officially joining his seventh NHL team. A short-term hired gun for much of his career, Del Zotto is set to play the same role in Columbus. Although he no longer plays with the same offensive prowess he displayed early in his career, Del Zotto is still a solid two-way option who can skate and check. Del Zotto led the Anaheim Ducks in plus/minus last season and finished third among Ducks defensemen in scoring, showing that he is still capable of playing significant minutes and making a positive impact. The 30-year-old should have no problem stepping into the Blue Jackets’ starting lineup if called upon and could be an asset on the power play in a pinch as well. Del Zotto should work out nicely as a depth option for Columbus in 2020-21.

Blue Jackets Sign Michael Del Zotto To PTO

December 25, 2020 at 1:55 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

If defenseman Michael Del Zotto wants to play in the NHL this coming season, he’ll have to earn a contract via the tryout route to do it. The Blue Jackets announced (Twitter link) that they’ve inked the veteran to a PTO agreement with an invitation to training camp.

The 30-year-old spent last season with Anaheim, his second stint with the team after they moved him to St. Louis before the 2019 trade deadline. Del Zotto was originally expected to be in a reserve role but he still managed to play in 49 games with the Ducks last season and held his own, putting up 15 points (2-13-15) while logging 18:43 per night. Early in his career, he was more of an offensive-minded blueliner but has only surpassed the 20-point mark twice over the past seven seasons.

Columbus has seen a bit of turnover on their back end this offseason with Ryan Murray being traded to New Jersey and Markus Nutivaara getting dealt to Florida with no one being brought in to replace either of them. However, their top six appears to be set which means Del Zotto will likely be contending with the likes of Gabriel Carlsson, Gavin Bayreuther, and Adam Clendening for the seventh spot on the depth chart.

Del Zotto may benefit from the recent creation of taxi squads for the upcoming season. Even if he isn’t able to crack their opening roster, he’s someone that could still skate with the team and be used in a pinch whenever injuries strike. With training camps on the horizon, he certainly won’t be the only experienced veteran that is forced to turn to this option in the coming days.

Load More Posts

Headlines