Early career Del Zotto played
minor ice hockey with the Stouffville Clippers in the A league of the Whitchurch-Stouffville Minor Hockey Association. He then played for the Richmond Hill Stars and the
Markham Waxers in the
Ontario Minor Hockey Association's Eastern AAA League. His Waxers team also featured
Steven Stamkos,
Cody Hodgson and
Cameron Gaunce. The group won eight consecutive OMHA titles from 1999 to 2006 and the OHL Cup in Minor Midget. He played in the 2003
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with Markham. Del Zotto was the second overall selection by the
Oshawa Generals in the 2006
Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.
Junior During his first season with the Oshawa Generals in the OHL, Del Zotto helped his home province of Ontario win the gold medal in the
2007 Canada Winter Games. On January 8, 2009, the Generals traded Del Zotto along with teammates
John Tavares and Daryl Borden to the
London Knights in exchange for prospects
Christian Thomas,
Scott Valentine, Michael Zador and six draft picks.
Professional After the
2008–09 OHL season concluded, Del Zotto signed a professional contract with the New York Rangers on May 26, 2009. On October 2, he made his NHL debut against the
Pittsburgh Penguins. At age 19, he became the youngest defenceman in Rangers history to play on an opening night. Del Zotto scored his first NHL goal the next day, against
Pascal Leclaire of the
Ottawa Senators, in the Rangers' home opener at
Madison Square Garden. Del Zotto proved he was an asset to the team, and, as a result, averaged 20 to 25 minutes per game throughout the
2009–10 season. Del Zotto was awarded the NHL's Rookie of the Month award for October 2009 after posting 12 points in his first 14 professional games. Placing second in scoring amongst all rookie defencemen with 37 points in 80 games, Del Zotto was also named to the 2010 NHL All-Rookie Team. In his second professional season,
2010–11, Del Zotto struggled to reproduce his rookie season form consistently, and was subsequently assigned to the Rangers'
American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the
Connecticut Whale, on January 4, 2011. However, he was later recalled by the Rangers, and finished the NHL season with 11 points in 47 games during his split year. During the
2011–12 season, Del Zotto rebounded in a highly-successful year for New York to complete his second full season in the NHL, scoring ten goals and 31 assists in 77 games. As a
restricted free agent during the
2012–13 NHL lock-out, Del Zotto signed a temporary contract with
Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the Swiss
National League A on October 31, 2012. In nine games for the Lakers, Del Zotto produced two goals and seven points before returning to North America in anticipation for the shortened
2012–13 season. Upon a resolution to the NHL lock-out, Del Zotto signed a two-year contract extension with the Rangers on the opening day of training camp on January 13, 2013. On January 22, 2014, Del Zotto was traded to the
Nashville Predators in exchange for defenceman
Kevin Klein. Del Zotto finished the season with the Predators with just one goal and five points from 25 games. With the final year of his contract completed, and despite being a restricted free agent, Del Zotto was not tendered a new contract offer by Nashville, and he subsequently became a free agent. On August 5, 2014, Del Zotto signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the
Philadelphia Flyers. Following the
2014–15 season, Del Zotto became a restricted free agent under the
NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Flyers made him a
qualifying offer to retain his NHL rights and, on July 5, 2015, Del Zotto filed for salary arbitration. The two sides came to an agreement on contract of two years, $7.75 million before the arbitration hearing. On July 1, 2017, as an
unrestricted free agent, Del Zotto signed a two-year contract with the
Vancouver Canucks worth $6 million. In the
2017–18 season, Del Zotto played in a career-high 82 games and collected 6 goals and 16 assists for 22 points. He led the Canucks in ice time (1,706 minutes) and joined
Henrik Sedin as the only two Vancouver players to play every game that season. In the final year of his contract with the Canucks in the
2018–19 season, Del Zotto was unable to replicate his previous season form, producing just four points through 23 games. On January 16, 2019, Del Zotto was traded by the Canucks to the
Anaheim Ducks in exchange for
Luke Schenn and a seventh-round pick in the
2020 NHL entry draft. He made his debut with the Ducks in a 5–1 defeat to the
St. Louis Blues on January 23, 2019. Del Zotto notched his 600th NHL appearance in a 2–1 defeat to the
Calgary Flames on February 22, 2019. He featured in 12 games with the Ducks, collecting 3 assists before he was moved on at the trade deadline by Anaheim to add depth to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2020 on February 25, 2019. Del Zotto was a part of the extended Blues playoff roster, and watched from the press box as they won their first
Stanley Cup in franchise history on June 12, 2019. His name appears on the Cup due to playing more than 41 games over the season (though only 7 with St Louis). On July 16, 2019, Del Zotto returned to the Ducks, agreeing to a one-year, $750,000 contract. Del Zotto appeared in 49 games, scoring two goals and 15 points. Prior to the delayed
2020–21 season, Del Zotto was signed to a pro-tryout contract with the
Columbus Blue Jackets on December 25, 2020. As a regular on the blueline with the Blue Jackets, Del Zotto featured in 53 out of 56 regular season games, collecting four goals and 13 points, however was unable to prevent Columbus from missing the playoffs. On July 28, 2021, Del Zotto continued his journeyman career, and signed a two-year, $3 million contract with the Ottawa Senators. He cleared waivers the following day and was sent to Ottawa's AHL affiliate, the
Belleville Senators. and finished the season with the team registering 26 games played and 13 points. On July 12, Del Zotto was placed on waivers again by the Senators for the purposes of buying out the final year of his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. On July 17, 2022, Del Zotto signed a contract with the
Florida Panthers on a one-year, two-way contract. On December 19, 2022, Del Zotto was traded by the Panthers to the
Detroit Red Wings in exchange for
Givani Smith. He was subsequently traded by the Red Wings to the Ducks in exchange for
Danny O'Regan. Prior to being traded, he recorded two goals and eight assists in 25 games for the
Charlotte Checkers during the
2022−23 season. On September 6, 2023, Del Zotto announced his retirement from professional hockey. ==Personal life==