Unsigned by the Senators, Zanon played three seasons for the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL), an affiliate of the Nashville Predators. It was not until the 2005–06 season that he finally broke into the NHL, when he played four games for the Predators. Zanon rose in the NHL as a top player in the blocked shots statistic. He had 189 blocked shots in the 2007–08 NHL season.[2]
On July 1, 2009, Zanon signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Wild.[3] His first season with the Wild in 2009–10 was largely successful, while proving a reliable physical force he also registered a career high 13 assists and 15 points in 81 games.
In the last year of his contract with the Wild in the 2011–12 season, Zanon fell out of favour and was relegated as a healthy scratch in seven games.[4] He appeared in only 39 contests before he was dealt at the trade deadline to the Boston Bruins for Steven Kampfer, on February 27, 2012.[5]
On July 1, 2012, Zanon signed as a free agent to a two-year deal worth $4.5 million with the Colorado Avalanche.[6] In the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Zanon made his Avalanche debut, recording an assist in an opening night defeat to the Minnesota Wild on January 19, 2013.[7] As a fixture on the Avalanche defense, Zanon was unable to replicate his earlier puck-clearing career form; however, he finished the season to lead the team with 122 blocked shots in 44 games.
On July 3, 2013, the Avalanche placed Zanon, alongside Matt Hunwick, on waivers.[8] Upon clearing waivers, the Avalanche then exercised the option to buy out the remaining year of his contract on July 4, 2013.[9] As a result of the buyout, the Avalanche paid Zanon $1.5million (two-thirds of his remaining salary) and he became an unrestricted free agent.[10] Unable to attract an NHL offer as a free agent, Zanon signed a professional try-out contract with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. As an alternate captain for the Rampage, Zanon returned to the AHL for the first time since 2007.[11]
On July 8, 2014, Zanon was signed as a free agent by the Florida Panthers of the NHL to a one-year, two-way contract.[12] He returned to the Panthers' AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage. As team captain, Zanon appeared in 74 games and contributed offensively with his highest points total in 10 years with 23. At the conclusion of the 2014–15 season, Zanon ended his professional career after 12 seasons.[13]
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