If you are a fan of the new NHL Utah team, we have good news for you. The Utah Hockey Club, formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes, made some moves right before the free agent draft, during the draft, and now after the draft. Let's start with what happened right before the draft. A little note here is that it is the club's policy not to release the full terms of players' contracts.
June 17-27, 2024
On June 17, Utah signed two of last year's draft picks. Noel Nord and Julian Lutz both signed three-year entry-level contracts. They will ultimately go to the Tucson Roadrunners. Last season, Lutz played for the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL, appearing in 50 games and scoring 68 points (24 goals, 44 assists). Lutz was drafted by the Coyotes in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft. Nord, who was drafted by the Coyotes in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft, spent last season overseas in Sweden. He played in 65 games last season, 50 of which were in the Hockey Allsvenskan League, scoring six goals and nine assists, while also helping the team reach the playoffs and win the league championship.
On June 19, Utah signed goaltender Matt Villalta to a two-year, two-way contract worth $1.55 million over two years with an annual salary of $775,000. Villalta is expected to remain in Tucson, where he played most of last year. Villalta has appeared in 51 games with three shutouts, 31 wins, 17 losses and three ties, a 2.54 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. He also started both games in the playoffs, posting a 2.56 ERA and a .914 save percentage.
The next day, Utah signed Patrick Koch to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000. Koch spent most of last season with the AHL's Roadrunners, recording one goal and 14 assists in 63 games. Koch also played for Slovakia at the 2024 World Championships, appearing in eight games and recording four points.
On the 24th, Utah also signed Ben McCartney to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000. McCartney was a seventh-round draft pick in 2020. He has been with the Tucson Roadrunners since being drafted, with the exception of the 20-21 season, during which he spent most of that season with the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. Last season, he played in 46 games in an “A” uniform with Tucson, scoring 22 points (6 goals, 16 assists) and receiving 67 penalty minutes. The next day, on the 25th, Utah signed Vladislav Koryachonok to a two-year contract worth $1.55 million, averaging $775,000 over two seasons. He played for both the Roadrunners and the Coyotes last season. He appeared in five games with Arizona, scoring one goal and three assists, and earned 11 points (8 goals, 3 assists) in 34 games with Tucson.
Also on the 25th, it was announced that Shea Weber would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Weber is under contract, but has not played a game since the 2021 playoffs. Therefore, due to the rules, Weber will be the first player in franchise history to be inducted into the Hall of Fame despite not having played a game for Utah. Over the next few years, Weber will receive $7,857,143 in compensation while on LTIR (long-term injured list).
On June 26, Utah signed forward and new fan favorite Liam O'Brien, nicknamed “Spicy Tuna.” He received a three-year contract with an annual salary of $3 million and an average annual salary of $1 million. After signing the three-year contract, GM Bill Armstrong told reporters: “We are very pleased to sign Liam to a three-year contract. He brings energy, grit and a physical presence to the lineup every night, which will add a lot of excitement to Utah hockey fans, especially in his first year. We look forward to having Liam with us for the next few seasons.” Last season in Arizona, he set career highs in goals, assists, points and penalty time, scoring 14 points (five goals, nine assists) and adding 153 penalty minutes in 75 games. He also recorded a team-high 229 hits.
June 28th to present
Before the NHL Draft began, Utah signed Michael Kesselring to a two-year contract worth $2.8 million with an annual salary of $1.4 million. The defenseman played in 65 games with Arizona last year, scoring 21 points (five goals, 16 assists). “We're excited to have Michael as a part of our team,” Utah general manager Bill Armstrong said. “He skates well, moves the puck effectively and has a strong shot that allows him to attack from the blue line. We look forward to having Michael with Utah for many years to come.” Kesselring played in seven games for the U.S. at the World Championships, recording two goals and one assist.
Then came draft time in Las Vegas, and Utah had the sixth overall pick on Day 1, which they used to select 17-year-old Tij Iginla. Iginla is the son of a former NHL superstar and Hall of Famer. Tij will follow in his father's footsteps, wearing No. 12 during the team's first practice Monday morning at Utah Olympic Oval. Utah also selected Cole Beaudoin, acquired from the Colorado Avalanche, with the 24th pick of the first round.
Before Day 2 began, Utah made a big move by acquiring Mikhail Sergachev in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning for JJ Moser, Connor Geekie and two draft picks. “Mikhail Sergachev is a proven winner and scorer who has had a long history of being one of the best shutdown defensemen in the NHL,” said Utah Hockey Club General Manager Bill Armstrong. “Mikhail is one of the top two-way defensemen in the NHL and you can't win in this league without a star, elite defenseman. We are excited to welcome Mikhail to our organization and look forward to having him lead our blue line for years to come.” Director of Hockey Operations Chris Armstrong added: “Acquiring him, one of the best defensemen in the NHL and a two-time Stanley Cup champion, is a commitment on our part to our fans and our team and to take the steps necessary to move this organization forward toward its potential.” Sergachev appeared in 34 games with Tampa last year, earning 19 points and 36 penalty minutes.
The other trade Utah made was to the New Jersey Devils for John Marino and a second-round draft pick in 2025. Marino is in his sixth year in the NHL and had four goals and 21 assists in 75 games last year. On June 29, Utah signed defenseman Juuso Valimaki to a two-year contract. The day before free agency, Utah signed Sean Darge to a four-year contract.
On July 1 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time, the NHL free agency period began, with Utah making several moves, but before that, they announced that they would open the 2024-2025 season at home against the Chicago Blackhawks. Utah signed former Stanley Cup champion Ian Cole to a one-year contract worth $3.1 million. Cole won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016-2017 and 2017-18. Utah further expanded its championship experience, acquiring 2024 Stanley Cup champion Kevin Stenlund on a two-year contract. Stenlund will be paid $2 million in each of the two years.
Utah continues to make big moves this offseason, and fans have plenty of reason to be excited for Utah's inaugural season. Stay up to date with all the offseason coverage here at Inside the Rink. Salary information taken from Capfriendly.com.
