Ex-Penguins defenseman Robert Bortuzzo evolves with Blues

This past summer, the populace of Thunder Bay, Ontario, a shipping hub on the western shore of Lake Superior, was treated to its fourth visit by the Stanley Cup in just over a decade.

And yet again, that event was possible because of a hometown kid drafted and developed by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In 2009, Jordan Staal brought the trophy home after establishing himself on the Penguins third line.

In 2016 and ‘17, Matt Murray did it by locking down the Penguins net.

In 2019, it was Robert Bortuzzo.

He did it with the St. Louis Blues.

A third-round pick of the Penguins in 2007, Bortuzzo spent parts of the first four years of his NHL career as a bottom-pairing defenseman who never played more than 54 games in a season in Pittsburgh.

Dealt to the Blues at the 2015 trade deadline for Ian Cole, Bortuzzo just missed playing for the the Penguins’ Stanley Cup champion teams in 2016 and ‘17 before helping the Blues win the first title in franchise history this past spring.

It was a unique dynamic for Bortuzzo.

“I was happy for a lot of the guys I spent time with for many years (in Pittsburgh),” Bortuzzo said. “I couldn’t be happier for them. (Former forward) Beau Bennett is one of my best friends to this day. Guys like (forward Sidney Crosby and defenseman Kris Letang) that I spent a lot of years learning from.

“I’m not going to lie. It was tough to not be there and to do it with those guys. Then, they did it in back-to-back (years), which was pretty incredible. Had some tough days, but (ultimately) was happy for a ton of people over there that had a ton of influence on my career and friends that I’ll have forever.

“To finally break through, there really wasn’t an explainable feeling. I wasn’t really thinking about how I felt at the time of (not) winning it (with the Penguins). Just to know what my good friends had been through … and to get that one out of the way was pretty special.”

With the Blues, the 6-foot-4, 216-pound Bortuzzo still is physically imposing, but he suggested his game has been refined.

“Everyone’s game is elevating to change with the times,” Bortuzzo said. “I’ve been able to do that. My skating is something I always need to keep up on and work on. I don’t know if the game has totally evolved into that total speed game, but you need be able to keep up with these guys in terms of defending and angles. I’m confident in my ability to do that.

“Nowadays, there’s no such thing as a stay-at-home defenseman. You need to support rushes and support positions in the offensive zone. You may not be able to put up the numbers, but you need to move pucks forward and through the neutral zone. Puck play is a bit part of my game that has improved. That’s what’s allowed me to keep up with the evolving game.”

However, no one will confuse Bortuzzo with Bobby Orr. A rough-and-tumble style still is Bortuzzo’s calling card. That was apparent in an ugly sequence Nov. 23 when Bortuzzo cross-checked Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson twice, with the second blow being particularly vicious. Arvidsson suffered an injury that is expected to sidelined him up to six weeks, and Bortuzzo was suspended four games.

Bortuzzo politely declined to discuss the specifics of the suspension Wednesday morning, but he acknowledged there are lessons to be learned.

With the Penguins midway through the 2014-15 season, he was suspended two games for hitting former Penguins forward Jaromir Jagr, then of the Devils, in the head.

That hit prompted former Devils coach Peter DeBoer to make a confusing but memorable reference to “War War IV” after the game.

“Anytime you get suspended, it’s frustrating,” Bortuzzo said. “The league is doing (its) job. There’s not much you can do. You take their information they give, you try to make some adjustments to your game going off what they’ve suggested.”

Over time, Bortuzzo has made the necessary adjustments to survive in the NHL for nearly decade. Much of the foundation of his game was laid down early in his tenure with the Penguins.

“It’s just grown,” Bortuzzo said of his game. “A little more responsibility. It’s turned into more of a leadership role. My actual game, I think my puck play has gotten better. Just overall confidence is different in term of knowing where to be. … Situational play is solid. Penalty killing a lot more now. Really relishing a lot at that opportunity.

“I can’t say enough good things about what Pittsburgh did for me in my early years. It shaped me into a lot of what I am today with (former assistant coach) Todd Reirden. I had a lot of good coaches. I’m very thankful for that time.”

He also is thankful to become the latest Stanley Cup champion from Thunder Bay.

“It was electric,” he said. “There was a buzz in the air wherever you went in the playoffs. Our city and fans could feel that, as well, that there was something special about this run. They were with us the whole way. You could just feel them chomping at the bit for a championship in this sport.

“We’ve been knocking at the door here for a number of years with good, solid teams. To finally break through for that city, it’s very much an underrated hockey town in my opinion. The parade was insane. You could just feel everything rushing out over 50 years.”

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