THUNDER BAY – Robert Bortuzzo is a guy the St. Louis Blues count on for a little protection from time to time.
But off the ice, the bruising defenceman has a soft side.
He showed it on Tuesday night, donning his skates and a rare summer sweater and took to the ice with dozens of young fans at the Tournament Centre at the 14th annual Easter Seals Celebrity Skate.
It’s too good a cause to pass up, the 28-year-old Thunder Bay-born NHLer said.
“It’s just a great event that the city gets behind. It’s cool being out there with all the kids, showing their support and then putting some smiles on some faces. It’s definitely something that easy to get behind and it should be a lot of fun,” said Bortuzzo, who was joined by Blues teammate Carter Hutton and two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray.
The event has been a success story for Easter Seals Ontario, raising nearly $160,000 in its first 13 years of existence.
Over the years it’s drawn the likes of Patrick Sharp, the Staal brothers, Alex Auld and Taylor Pyatt, and continues to be a hit as new generations of players graduate into the National Hockey League.
Murray, who used to skate in the event as a youngster, took the torch last year and was only too happy to return in 2017.
Trailed by hordes of youngsters in Penguins apparel, Murray was simply one of the kids on Tuesday night.
“It’s a great cause. They provide a lot of really good resources for a lot of people, especially kids, and honestly it’s a ton of fun to come out here and skate with these kids. They’re very excited to see you and it means a lot,” Murray said.
“Coming from a town like Thunder Bay, I used to come to things like this and I used to idolize players who came to things like this growing up and now I get to be on the other side of it and hopefully try to inspire some kids myself.”
Rhonda Harrison, a senior development officer with Easter Seals Ontario, said the money all goes to a good place.
“It’s a fundraiser to help families with children with physical disabilities purchase equipment for mobility, communication devices and camping opportunities.”
