Blue Jackets sign Michael Del Zotto to one-year, two-way deal

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Michael Del Zotto celebrates after scoring against the San Jose Sharks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. (Chris Carlson/AP)

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed veteran offensive defenceman Michael Del Zotto to a one-year, two-way deal, the team announced Sunday.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports that the deal will pay Del Zotto $700,000 at the NHL.

"Michael has great vision and puck-moving ability and has been every bit as good as we thought he would be when we brought him to camp," said general manager Jarmo Kekalainen in a press release.

"We think the blue line is a real strength for our team, but you can never have enough good defencemen, particularly in a season like this with so many games in a relatively short period of time, and Michael has fit in very well with our group."

The 30-year-old rearguard, who had 15 points in 49 games with the Anaheim Ducks last season, had been at the Blue Jackets' training camp on a professional tryout agreement.

The native of Stouffville, Ont., has put up 236 points 657 NHL games with the Ducks, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers since being selected 20th overall in the 2008 NHL Draft.

When submitting content, please abide by our  submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.
We use cookies to improve your experience. Learn More or change your cookie preferences. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of cookies.
close