When the Canucks signed Michael Del Zotto on the first day of free agency, they were aiming to replace Luca Sbisa, who had just been selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft. In Del Zotto, the Canucks got a capable third-pairing defenceman who is able to play up the lineup if needed and makes up for some of his defensive issues with a knack for goalscoring and power play production.
They also got a healthy dose of personality.
Del Zotto is certainly a character. He’s never been one to shy away from a party and can, in fact, frequently be found in the club in a professional capacity, in his off-ice life as a DJ.
He’s just as much a character on the ice, apparently, as his mic’d up session at this summer’s biosteel camp proves.
“Keep the boys loose, that’s what I’m here for,” he says, which is something the Canucks will likely need in the coming season.
The Canucks are likely to finish in the bottom of the league for the third straight season, so having a fun-loving character like Del Zotto could be essential. Or annoying. Depends on your capacity for “rapid dabs,” which are apparently a thing.
Apparently reports of the dab’s demise are greatly exaggerated, as Del Zotto has resurrected it in a new, unrecognizable form. Is it even a dab if your face never tucks into your elbow like you’re covering up a sneeze?
Perhaps this is how Del Zotto intends to relate to the young kids who he’ll be playing with on the Canucks. He did say he wants to take on a leadership role and appropriating a dance move popular with kids and performing it in such a way that it bears no resemblance to the original dance move is a very youth pastor thing to do. Considering the Canucks dismissed assistant coach Perry Pearn and his penchant for youth pastor-esque games, it's certainly a gap that needs to be filled.
In any case, I have a feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of Michael Del Zotto on the Canucks social media during the two years of his contract.
