SNAPSHOTS: Michael Del Zotto kept his chin up when he was sent to the Belleville Senators

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Michael del zotto prides himself on being a professional.

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It never goes too high and never goes too low, so when the veteran defender was fired last month and sent to the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville, 31-year-old Del Zotto decided to keep his chin up and work hard to try. to get it. back to the NHL.

With Senators short with Thomas Chabot, Dillon Heatherington Y Jacob Bernard-Docker in COVID-19 protocol and Victor Mete “Beaten up,” the club brought in Del Zotto from Belleville, where he dressed for just two games before being part of a group of players who tested positive.

“I was a bit surprised,” Del Zotto said Monday. “I came here this season excited about the opportunity I had to help on and off the ice. As the most veteran guy, I was definitely a little surprised that Game 1 wasn’t in the lineup and then I never came in with consistency.

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“I was trying to find some chemistry with a teammate and I didn’t expect that to happen, but you also understand the direction of this team. Those decisions are above my salary level and out of my hands. “

Yes, you can look at the two-year, $ 2 million deal the Senators agreed to with Del Zotto in the offseason and call it a mistake. But you have to give him credit for the attitude he brings to the track because he is the first to get on the ice most days and one of the last to go.

He’s bounced enough in his career that he knows he can’t afford to take anything for granted if he wants to keep playing, which is why he went to Belleville with the right attitude so he could come back here.

“I’ve always said that if I can look in the mirror at the end of the day knowing that I gave everything I had, then I can sleep better,” Del Zotto said. “All I can control is my work ethic and my attitude. Anyone who knows me knows that I always come to the track with a smile on my face.

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“I’m going to keep things light and the rest is out of my control.”

Unfortunately, he was only able to dress for two games in Belleville because he was part of the COVID-19 outbreak that affected the team while on a 10-day road trip. There were 35 people riding the two buses with the team and 18 of those who tested positive for the virus.

Del Zotto spent Christmas at his Ottawa home and was unable to be with his family in Toronto for the holidays.

“I feel good. It was a shame not being able to spend Christmas with my parents and it is the first of my life,” Del Zotto said. “I was lucky not to have any symptoms, so I was fine.”

DRAKE IN THE MIDDLE?

Desperate times call for thinking outside the box.

And, when the coach Dj smith wanted to try something different for Monday’s skateboarding at the Canadian Tire Center, decided to move Drake Batherson downtown with the captain Brady tkachuk and belleville calls Logan shaw .

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While Shaw is a natural center, the 23-year-old Batherson played quite a bit at the pivot position in the QMJHL and Smith was fully prepared to start the winger as the club’s best center Thursday night against expansion Seattle Kraken. if that game hadn’t been postponed.

With Shaw on his wing, he could have taken the matchups while swapping with Batherson after the puck was released. Given the fact, the club was going to run out of all the centers it started on opening night with, it was a move that made sense to try.

“Nobody thinks they are going to lose the number of centers that we have lost,” Smith said Monday. “Especially the offensive guys, so we thought we would test Shaw on the wing and he can take a draw. I thought it was okay. “

Batherson is a smart gamer so he can probably play wherever you want.

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“He is an unreal player who is very versatile and can play in many different positions,” said Tkachuk.

THE LAST WORDS

Tkachuk is one of the lucky ones in the club’s locker room because he has not yet tested positive for the virus.

The only other two regulars who have not been in protocol are centro Tim Stuetzle and defense Artem zub this season. Tkachuk was trying to knock wood somewhere Monday, but he’s not sure how he’s been among the trio of players who have avoided him.

“I don’t have the mindset that I’m going to get it. I’m trying to live my life like I normally would,” he said. “I’m just going to try to do things.”

Tkachuk said Friday that he is not a fan of capacity limits in Ontario and feels that people should be able to make their own decision about whether or not to go to a hockey game. He also has feelings for kids who don’t enjoy learning online by coming back to that scenario until at least January 17.

“It’s bullshit. I feel bad for children who want to go to school, ”Tkachuk said. “For me personally, I’m just trying to live my life like I usually do, so I’m not too worried about it.”

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Twitter: @sungarrioch