It will be some time before we know how the Utah Hockey Club’s first draft class pans out.
But initial impressions of this newest NHL franchise have been positive.
While most of these players won't be playing for a Utah hockey club anytime soon (as my Deseret News colleague Trent Wood explained, the majority of NHL draftees have spent their playing careers in the minor leagues), there's a sense of optimism that comes from the weekend.
The Utah Hockey Club drafted 11 players in total. The organization selected a league-high 13 players prior to the draft and then negotiated with them to ultimately acquire them.
The big names, of course, are Tizi Iginla, who the franchise selected sixth overall, and Cole Beaudoin, who the team traded up to acquire in the first round.
On the second day of the draft, UHC also selected players including Will Skahan, Tomas Lavoie, Vetty Vaisanen, Gregor Beaver, Gabe Smith, Owen Allard, Ales Cech, Vojtěch Hradec and Ludvig Laughton.
Though they weren't drafted, Utah made some buzz over the weekend by acquiring two experienced defensemen in trades: Mikhail Sergachev from Tampa Bay and John Marino from New Jersey.
How was Utah's first draft received by the national media?
Let's take a look at how five news organizations rated the Utah Hockey Club's draft picks from best to worst: It's safe to say outsiders were impressed.
ESPN
Utah Hockey Club Draft Rating: A+
Rachel Doelly said: “There's no other recognition I can give to Utah. Just the overall score of the job they did, it was a great weekend for the NHL's newest club.”
“Trading up with a ton of picks over the next few years to acquire a second first-round pick was a good deal. Tizi Iginla and Cole Beaudoin are both good choices and will be key members of Utah's forward corps.”
“Losing Connor Geekie is a blow, but it's hard to swallow given the depth of the prospect pool. The additions of Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino are good deals. Both will be key players on Utah's defensive line and they will amaze opponents next season.”
Flow Hockey
Utah Hockey Club Draft Rating: a
Chris Peters said: “Utah started off with a bang, selecting 11 players in the draft and acquiring Tiji Iginla, who will be a franchise mainstay from the moment he steps on the ice, as well as Cole Beaudoin, a player with a tenacious, two-way style that will help their team win. They also selected Will Skahan, an old-school, physical defenseman on the blue line, with their first pick on Day 2. In the end, six players were selected from FloHockey's top 100, including their first three picks, Tomas Lavoie, Viti Vaisanen and Owen Allard. On top of all that, Utah made the move to win now by acquiring Mikhail Sergachev in a trade. It was a very, very big weekend for new NHL teams.”
Daily Face Off
Utah Hockey Club Draft Rating: a
Stephen Ellis said: “Will Iginla become Utah's first 50-goal scorer? They're hoping that will be the case. He's having a great season with the Kelowna Rockets and will be one of the team's most marketable stars. I also like the picks of Beaudoin and Skahan. They do a lot of things well and Thomas Lavoie, Viti Vaisanen and Gregor Bieber all have intriguing possibilities on the blue line. I also liked the picks of Owen Allard and Ludvig Laughton. Given the picks and their work outside of the draft hall today, it was a good day to be a Utah fan.”
Athletic
Utah Hockey Club Draft Rating: B+
Corey Pronman said: “The Utah Hockey Cubs are graded solely on the talent they acquired in the draft, not on trades. As a side note, I am a big fan of the trades they made. With the addition of Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino to the blue line and soon to be Dmitri Simashev and Maverick Lamoureux, Utah's defense should be pretty fearsome given the size and mobility that group possesses. Focusing on the picks, Tizi Iginla was a little too high for me at No. 6, but he has the potential to be a top-six wing in the NHL and wasn't too far off that spot on my list. Utah's next three picks are highly competitive big men in Cole Beaudoin, Will Skahan and Thomas Lavoie who all have clear paths to the NHL. Beaudoin looks like a forward who can play all day in the NHL, and those two defensemen have a good chance of success. Owen Allard is also a speedster and was one of my favorites in this class. We could have three regular NHL players from this group, and Iginla is likely to score a lot of goals in the league.”
Bleacher Report
Utah Hockey Club Draft Rating: B+
Hannah Stewart said: “If Utah was hoping to make a big splash with their first draft pick, their wish has been granted. Tiji Iginla is a great starter and he will add an attractive offensive asset to the team sooner rather than later. Trading up to get Cole Beaudoin at 24th was a bit of a stretch, but if you hear they wanted him and they wanted other guys too, well, it makes sense. This kid is a threat in the best sense of the word. Other notable picks on Day 2 include NTDP defenseman Will Skahan. Skahan is a good skater and pressure-applying defenseman.
“Note: If you were to grade on all of the draft weekend activity rather than just the draft picks, this would easily be an A thanks to Utah's acquisition of defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino.”
