Zach Sanford
Stanley Cup winner who scored in Game 7 of the 2019 Final.
Last updated
Zach Sanford is an American professional ice hockey forward who won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. He has played for several NHL teams including the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, Ottawa Senators, Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators, Arizona Coyotes, and Chicago Blackhawks before moving to HC Lugano of the National League (NL) in 2025.
Lore & Background
Sanford was born in Salem, Massachusetts and moved to Manchester, New Hampshire, attending Pinkerton Academy where he led the team to a Division 1 state title with 36 goals and 69 points. He was named New Hampshire High School Player of the Year before joining the Islanders Hockey Club of the EJHL. He committed to Boston College and played two collegiate seasons before turning professional with the Washington Capitals in 2016.
After being traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2017, Sanford's career included a dislocated shoulder, the death of his father, and a notable practice fight with teammate Robert Bortuzzo. Despite the Blues being in last place in January 2019, the team made a turnaround and Sanford scored his only goal of the postseason in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins, helping the Blues win their first championship in 52 years. He later achieved a rare four-goal performance in a 6–5 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Sanford's later NHL career included stops with Ottawa, Winnipeg, Nashville, Arizona, and Chicago. He was placed on waivers multiple times and assigned to AHL affiliates. After two seasons with the Blackhawks organization, he left North America and signed with HC Lugano of the Swiss NL in August 2025.
Reader's Guide
Zach Sanford's career is notable for its unusual trajectory: a second-round draft pick who became a Stanley Cup champion despite being described as 'irrelevant' by sports broadcasters at the time of his championship. His Game 7 goal in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final secured the St. Louis Blues' first title in franchise history, a remarkable achievement given the team's last-place standing in January of that season.
Sanford's career also features a rare four-goal NHL game, a feat accomplished by few players. His path through seven NHL organizations, frequent waiver placements, and eventual move to Switzerland illustrates the volatility of a professional hockey career. Despite not becoming the future top-six center once projected for him in St. Louis, Sanford's persistence through injuries, personal loss, and organizational changes allowed him to play over 200 NHL games and earn hockey's ultimate prize.
Career statistics and honours
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2009–10 | Pinkerton Academy | USHS | 23 | 14 | 11 | 25 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | Pinkerton Academy | USHS | 21 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Pinkerton Academy | USHS | 21 | 36 | 33 | 69 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | Islanders Hockey Club | EJHL | 37 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
| 2013–14 | Waterloo Black Hawks | USHL | 52 | 17 | 18 | 35 | 60 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 8 |
| 2014–15 | Boston College | HE | 38 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Boston College | HE | 41 | 13 | 26 | 39 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 26 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 25 | 11 | 5 | 16 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 13 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016–17 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017–18 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 20 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | San Antonio Rampage | AHL | 7 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 60 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 21 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 2019–20 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 58 | 16 | 14 | 30 | 28 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 17 |
| 2020–21 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 52 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021–22 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 62 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 18 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Milwaukee Admirals | AHL | 45 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 51 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 10 |
| 2023–24 | Tucson Roadrunners | AHL | 16 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 18 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 13 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2024–25 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 70 | 19 | 24 | 43 | 60 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 4 |
| NHL totals | 334 | 49 | 55 | 104 | 144 | 25 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 17 | ||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| NHL | ||
| Stanley Cup champion | 2019 | |
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Zach Sanford (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
Did You Know?
- Sanford fought teammate Robert Bortuzzo during a Blues practice in December 2018.
- He was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Blackhawks from the Arizona Coyotes on January 6, 2024.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Zach Sanford (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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