Bortuzzo Bolstering the Blue Line 

Robert Bortuzzo’s first point as a New York Islander was a big one, as the defenseman recorded the primary assist on Mathew Barzal’s double-OT winner in Game 4 on Saturday that kept their season alive.

“Well-deserved moment for him the other night,” Captain Anders Lee said. “And a reason why we’re still playing.”

Hopping off the bench, Bortuzzo made the crucial play, blasting a shot on net that Barzal was able to deflect behind Frederik Andersen for the winner in Game 4. It was special for Bortuzzo’s teammates - and Head Coach Patrick Roy - to see his hard work pay off on the stat sheet.

“Seeing him on the ice for that winning goal, and putting that puck on net, I was happy for him,” Roy said. “It’s nice to see him get rewarded for the way he’s been playing.”

Bortuzzo brings an impactful toughness and strength to the blueline - qualities that go a long way in the playoffs. Through four games of the First-Round series against Carolina, Bortuzzo laid six hits and recorded 12 blocked shots, tied with Alexander Romanov for the team lead.

“He does a lot of stuff each night - penalty killing, blocking shots and being hard to play against – stuff that maybe goes unnoticed but not amongst the guys in this room,” Noah Dobson said. “We see how valuable those things are. He’s willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes each night to win.”

Bortuzzo is more than familiar with the sacrifice and will it takes to survive in the postseason. He’s the only player in the Islanders locker room to win a Stanley Cup, as he went all the way with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, though he tipped his cap to the Isles core that went to back-to-back third rounds in 2020 and 2021.

“I might have won a Cup, but a lot of the guys in here have played a lot of high intensity hockey late in rounds and conference finals,” Bortuzzo said. “It’s a group with a lot of playoff experience and a lot of character.”

To draw a similarity between the 2019 Blues squad and the Islanders season - both teams faced a ton of adversity. The Islanders grinded out an up and down season, needing every ounce of grit and resilience to qualify for the playoffs, while the Blues had to battle back from last place in the Western Conference on Jan. 1, 2019. Bortuzzo’s attributes will - and have been - essential to the Islanders to keep their season going.

“Always good to have a guy who has won before,” Dobson said. “He had a unique experience when he won with St Louis, they were kind of down and out and had to fight their way back. He brings a lot of insight.”

The unique accolade brings a competitive advantage to the Islanders in the eyes of Roy.

“He brings stability that we need,” Roy said. “He’s a big man, he’s tough to play against.”

Bortuzzo spent parts of 10 seasons with the Blues and the Islanders were well-versed on his strong reputation off the ice before he was acquired by the Islanders on Dec. 8.

“He’s a very well-liked guy in the locker room and he’s got a lot of respect in the league,” Mike Reilly said. “Kind of got a little background on him from guys in St. Louis, everyone said he’s a great guy. A pro’s pro.”

Bortuzzo faced his own personal obstacle this season, as a lower-body injury kept him sidelined for 33 games. He returned to action on Mar. 21 and recorded 17 hits and 31 blocked shots in 12 games played during the intense playoff push.

He skated a bulk of those games with Reilly, another newer addition for the Islanders who provided reinforcement to the blueline. The two are a defensive pair for the playoff run and found their balance on the ice.

“We played together down the stretch there, it felt like it was getting better and better,” Reilly said of his chemistry with Bortuzzo. “We work off each other. He’s a bit more defensive-minded and getting in front of every shot possible, he’s physical.”

Not only has Bortuzzo made an impact on the ice, but he has a quality that can’t be measured on the stat sheet. The immediate presence he brought to the room was felt by his teammates and is appreciated day in, day out.

“He’s a high character person, you can tell right away how genuine of a person he is,” Lee said. “His presence in our room, it makes a huge difference, the energy and aura he has. It’s very infectious. He’s been a wonderful addition to the team.”