Anaheim Ducks Acquire Defenseman Michael Del Zotto

Dec 19, 2022

The Anaheim Ducks announced today the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired defenseman Michael Del Zotto in a three-team trade involving the Detroit Red Wings and Florida Panthers. Detroit acquires center Danny O’Regan from Anaheim while Florida receives right wing Givani Smith from the Red Wings. Del Zotto will report to the San Diego Gulls, Anaheim’s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).

 

Del Zotto, 32 (6/24/90), owns 63-199=262 points with 284 penalty minutes (PIM) in 736 career NHL games with Anaheim, Ottawa, Columbus, St. Louis, Vancouver, Philadelphia, Nashville and the New York Rangers. A member of the 2019 Stanley Cup champion Blues, Del Zotto has also collected 3-9=12 points in 32 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. Signed by Florida to a one-year, two-way contract July 17, 2022, the 6-0, 195-pound defenseman collected 2-8=10 points this season with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL.

 

Selected by the Rangers in the first round (20th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Del Zotto had 1-9=10 points in 42 games with the Ducks, Blues and Canucks last season. The 6-0, 201-pound defenseman began 2018-19 with Vancouver before being acquired by Anaheim in exchange for defenseman Luke Schenn and a seventh-round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft Jan. 16, 2019.

 

Del Zotto has had two prior stints with Anaheim, totaling 2-16=18 points in 61 games. He recorded 2-13=15 points with a +5 rating in 49 games with the Ducks in 2019-20 after signing a one-year contract July 16, 2019. He also earned three assists in 12 games with the Ducks in 2018-19 prior to his acquisition by the Blues in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft Feb. 25, 2019. Anaheim originally acquired Del Zotto from Vancouver for Luke Schenn and a seventh-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

 

O’Regan, 28 (1/30/94), recorded one assist in five games with Anaheim in 2021-22. In 30 career NHL games with the Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks, O’Regan earned 1-5=6 points and two penalty minutes. Signed as a free agent by Anaheim July 29, 2021, O’Regan scored 3-15=18 points in 27 games this season with the San Diego Gulls.

 

The 5-10, 185-pound forward has scored 99-174=273 points in 361 career AHL games with San Diego, Henderson, Hartford, Rochester and San Jose. In 2016-17 with the San Jose Barracuda, he was named the AHL Rookie of the Year and the AHL All-Rookie Team after leading all rookies with 23-35=58 points.