Zachery Stortini (born September 11, 1985) is a Canadian former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
right winger
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
and current assistant coach with the
Tucson Roadrunners
The Tucson Roadrunners are a professional ice hockey team based in Tucson, Arizona. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Utah Mammoth. They play their home games at the Tucson Convention Cente ...
of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL). He played in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL) with the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
and
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
. Stortini was chosen in the third round, 94th overall, by the Oilers in the
2003 NHL Entry Draft. He plays a physical game and is known as an
enforcer.
Playing career
Stortini is the former captain of the
Sudbury Wolves
The Sudbury Wolves are an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) ice hockey team based in Greater Sudbury, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
Sudbury has had various hockey teams competing at the Junior ice hockey, junior and senior ice hockey levels of the game k ...
, where he spent his entire
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; ) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League, alongside the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. The league is for players ag ...
(OHL) career.
He made his professional debut in
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
with the
Toronto Roadrunners
The Toronto Roadrunners were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada at the Ricoh Coliseum. In their only season the Roadrunners featured players such as Jani Rita, Brad Winchester, Jamie W ...
of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL), playing in two games. After another year with Sudbury, Stortini graduated full-time joining the
Iowa Stars
The Iowa Stars, later known as the Iowa Chops, were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The club was based in Des Moines, Iowa at the Wells Fargo Arena.
History
The Stars were founded by Howard Baldwin, of Hockey Holdi ...
of the AHL. Stortini scored the first goal in Iowa Stars franchise history. He was later loaned to the
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team based in Milwaukee. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Nashville Predators. They play their homes games at the UW–Milwaukee Panther ...
(AHL) to finish the season.

He made his NHL debut on January 20, 2007, against the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
. Stortini was a –1 and received a ten-minute misconduct penalty in the third period of his first game. Stortini was leading the AHL in penalty minutes at the time of his call-up. He was brought up to add some toughness to the Oilers after they had been banged around in the previous few games. The Oilers also wanted a "heavyweight" in their line up to go against Calgary tough-guy
Eric Godard. He was sent back to the
Hamilton Bulldogs after the game, but later was recalled. Stortini appeared in 29 regular season games for the Oilers during the
2006–07 season. He went on to win the
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League (AHL). It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars.
The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In it ...
that season as a member of the Bulldogs.
Stortini scored his first NHL goal with the Oilers against the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
on February 6, 2007, during the second period against goaltender
Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, and Vancouver Canucks. In 2022, Luongo was ...
.
He recorded a
Gordie Howe hat trick
A Gordie Howe hat trick is a variation on ice hockey's hat trick. It is accomplished when a player collects a goal, an assist, and a fight in the same game. It is named after Hall of Famer Gordie Howe.
The term was coined by a 1950s New York ...
against the
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...
on December 9, 2009.
Stortini was placed on waivers by the Oilers on February 1, 2011, and subsequently cleared them on February 2. As a result, he was assigned to the
Oklahoma City Barons
The Oklahoma City Barons were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team's first season was 2010–11 AHL season, 2010–11. They played their home games at the Cox Convention Center, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
...
in the AHL.
Stortini signed a one-year, two-way contract with the
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
on July 5, 2011. Shortly after the beginning of the
2011–12 season, Stortini was placed on waivers by the Predators on October 11, before he was reassigned to AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.
With limited NHL interest, Stortini signed a one-year deal as a free agent to return for a second tenure with the Hamilton Bulldogs on September 21, 2012. In 73 games with the Bulldogs, Stortini added six points while leading the club with 241 penalty minutes.
On July 7, 2013, Stortini regained NHL interest and was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confere ...
. He was familiarly assigned to continue in the AHL with the
Norfolk Admirals for the duration of the year.
On July 2, 2014, Stortini signed a one-year, two-way contract with the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
.
On July 1, 2015, Stortini was signed a two-year, two-way contract with the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
. With the intention of adding a veteran presence to AHL affiliate, the
Binghamton Senators
The Binghamton Senators were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that played from 2002 to 2017. Nicknamed the B-Sens, they played in Binghamton, New York, at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. The B-Sens w ...
, Stortini was announced as team captain to begin the
2015–16 season.
In the midst of the last year of his contract with the Senators in
2016–17, Stortini was included in a trade to the
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
, along with
Buddy Robinson and a seventh-round draft pick in the
2017 NHL Entry Draft, in exchange for
Tommy Wingels
Thomas Wingels (born April 12, 1988) is an American former professional ice hockey Forward (ice hockey), forward and current player development coach for the San Jose Sharks. He played most of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL) for th ...
on January 24, 2017. He played out the remainder of the season with the Sharks' AHL affiliate, the
San Jose Barracuda
The San Jose Barracuda are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s San Jose Sharks. The team has played its home games at Tech CU Are ...
.
As a free agent from the Sharks, Stortini opted to continue in the AHL, agreeing to a one-year deal with the
Charlotte Checkers
The Charlotte Checkers are a professional ice hockey team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the top minor league affiliate of the ...
on July 5, 2017. As a veteran presence, Stortini helped contribute to the Checkers best season in franchise history in
2018–19, appearing in 24 regular season games. Stortini concluded his 14-year professional career claiming the
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League (AHL). It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars.
The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In it ...
championship with the Checkers, his second AHL championship.
Coaching career
On August 2, 2019, he returned to junior club, the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL, as an assistant coach to
Cory Stillman
Cory Stillman (born December 20, 1973) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several teams between 1994 and 2011, winning the Stanley Cup twice. He is currently the He ...
.
On August 17, 2022, Stortini joined the
Tucson Roadrunners
The Tucson Roadrunners are a professional ice hockey team based in Tucson, Arizona. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Utah Mammoth. They play their home games at the Tucson Convention Cente ...
of the
AHL as an assistant coach.
Personal
Stortini's sister Samantha played in the
Brown Bears women's ice hockey
The Brown Bears women’s ice hockey program is an NCAA Division I College ice hockey, ice hockey team that represents Brown University. The Bears play at the Meehan Auditorium in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown women's hockey is the oldest wome ...
program from 2007 to 2011.
Career statistics
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stortini, Zack
1985 births
Living people
Canadian sportspeople of Italian descent
Canadian ice hockey right wingers
Charlotte Checkers (2010–) players
Edmonton Oilers draft picks
Edmonton Oilers players
Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) players
Ice hockey people from Ontario
Iowa Stars players
Lehigh Valley Phantoms players
Milwaukee Admirals players
Nashville Predators players
Norfolk Admirals players
Oklahoma City Barons players
People from Elliot Lake
San Jose Barracuda players
Springfield Falcons players
Sudbury Wolves players
Toronto Roadrunners players
Tucson Roadrunners coaches
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
21st-century Canadian sportsmen