The Utah Hockey Club surprised many people at the NHL Trade Deadline by signing several veterans to contract extensions rather than trading them for prospects and draft picks. This indicates they plan to contend very soon and could be a team to watch this summer.
Utah locked up veteran forward Alexander Kerfoot and defensemen Ian Cole and Olli Määttä to short-term deals in the one- to three-year range. Also, it extended goaltender Karel Vejmelka to a five-year contract worth $4.75MM a year. While the moves surprised some people, they make sense on a longer timeline as Utah aims to make the playoffs next season after contending for a postseason spot this year. Utah has a good mix of young homegrown players and veterans who have won in other markets and will likely be busy this summer trying to shore up some holes in their roster.
Some folks might expect Utah to spend big on the free agent market, given that they project to have $21.5MM in cap space this summer (as per PuckPedia) with 20 players already signed for next season. Realistically, Utah needs just three players to fill out a lineup and could have more prospects join the fray on entry-level deals for under $1MM. The door is wide open for Utah to make some noise, and given that the team is just a year old, they will be looking to make their presence known in the Western Conference.
Utah will need to be cautious on the free agent market; while there is plenty of talent to be had, the team has to avoid the same fate that happened to the Nashville Predators last year after they signed several high-profile free agents then flopped this season and have already been eliminated from playoff contention. The other issue facing Utah in free agency is that they must leave room to sign their younger stars, who will eventually finish their ELCs. Logan Cooley will need a new deal after next season, as will Josh Doan and, eventually, in a few years, Tij Iginla. The money goes quickly when high draft picks pan out; ask the Toronto Maple Leafs. Of those three, Cooley is the only one on course to earn a monster long-term deal, but Iginla was just drafted and has the pedigree to get there.
Utah is well positioned to be aggressive this summer and likely will be, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, who believed in February that Utah would pursue forwards Mitch Marner and Mikko Rantanen. Now, the latter of those two is off the table after signing an extension with the Dallas Stars, but Marner hitting free agency is very much in play, and Utah could offer an attractive landing spot for the 27-year-old. Acquiring a dynamic playmaker like Marner would significantly boost Utah’s offense and fill out their top six, which lacks a second-line winger and currently has Kailer Yamamoto filling in. Signing Marner would likely push youngster Dylan Guenther to the second line, opening up more opportunities for him to flourish offensively.
If Utah strikes out on Marner, plenty of secondary free-agent options could boost them. Winnipeg forward Nikolaj Ehlers will almost certainly be available, as he has stated that he would welcome a change of market (according to Pagnotta). The 29-year-old would slide nicely onto the second line for Utah, and his versatility, speed, and skill could help an offense that currently ranks 22nd in the NHL. Ehlers can play on both wings, which might be a better fit than Marner; he will also come in at a significantly lower cap hit.
Another name that should be out there is Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks. Boeser is a proven goal scorer who could fit in well on the second line next to Nick Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton. It’s hard to gauge what kind of a market there will be for Boeser as interest at the trade deadline appears to have been tepid at best. Boeser may be looking at a short-term deal depending on what the market is giving him, something that might suit Utah just fine as it lines up with when their younger players will need extensions.
If Utah wanted to bump Hayton to a third-line center, they could look to Florida center Sam Bennett, who appears poised to test the market. The 29-year-old has developed into a physical center that offers a unique skill set and could bring valuable experience and leadership to Utah. Bennett will be a hot commodity on the free agent market and could sign a contract that becomes an albatross when his physical style eventually catches up with him.
Many players will be available on the trade front, and Utah has the assets to acquire just about anyone. Rickard Rakell of the Pittsburgh Penguins will likely be out there, although Pittsburgh will be looking for a king’s ransom to let one of Sidney Crosby’s preferred wingers go. Other veterans, such as Blues center Brayden Schenn, Pens defenseman Erik Karlsson and Islanders middleman Jean-Gabriel Pageau, could be available again. However, given Utah’s timeline, targeting younger players with upside might be preferred.
Marco Rossi would be a name that makes a lot of sense for Utah. The 23-year-old has had his name thrown around in trade rumors for over a year and would be a good fit in Utah. The trickier part with Rossi is that Minnesota general manager Bill Guerin has stated publicly that he wants to keep Rossi in the fold, so any move for Rossi might require an overpay on Utah’s part.
Another name that could fit in Utah is New Jersey defenseman Simon Nemec. The former second-overall pick has not been a fit with the Devils and voiced his displeasure in December, although he eventually walked his comments back. Nemec is a promising puck mover who probably shouldn’t be playing in the top four at this early stage of his career. In Utah, he could be slotted into the third pairing and have an opportunity to flourish while having his minutes sheltered. The tricky part in a trade for the 21-year-old is that New Jersey won’t be looking for futures, meaning that Utah would have to subtract off of their current roster to facilitate a move or get a third team involved.
Utah will be a team to watch as the excitement grows in the market this summer. They likely aren’t ready to be a Stanley Cup contender next year, but with a summer of new additions, they could be a team to watch as they try to build a winning culture.
Photo by Rob Gray-Imagn Images
I could see Ehlers or Boeser as options for the Club.