What Tij Iginla and Cole Beaudoin bring to Utah – Deseret News

Tij Iginla is aware of the meaning of his last name.

His father, Jarome, is in the Hockey Hall of Fame and played 20 seasons in the NHL, most of them with the Calgary Flames, where he leads the franchise in goals (525), points (1,095) and games played (1,219).

The Flames retired Jarome Iginla’s jersey in 2019 and Calgary fans understandably wanted his son to continue the family legacy with the franchise, but Utah general manager Bill Armstrong wouldn’t let that happen, grabbing the younger Iginla at No. 6 in Friday’s NHL Draft, three picks ahead of the Flames’ selection.

While it would undoubtedly have been a monumental moment for Tij Iginla to put on the same jersey as his father, in Utah’s organization, which is a blank slate as a franchise, there is less pressure to immediately live up to his last name.

“Yeah, maybe a little bit,” he said Sunday when asked if the Iginla last name added extra pressure. “I mean, it might have been more pressure if I went to a Canadian team or Calgary or something, but I think it’s going to be good for me to be here and try to make my own path.”

One piece of advice he got from his dad was to slow down and take it all in during draft night at the Sphere in Las Vegas, and that’s exactly what he tried to do.

“A little stressful, definitely, but definitely super fun. It’s surreal and I’m starting to get it now and I’m really excited to get started with camp,” said Tij Iginla.

Now the work begins for him to find his own way in the NHL.

It was a turbulent week for the 6-foot-4, 185-pound, 17-year-old center and Utah’s other 10 draft picks when they arrived at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City.

On Monday, they will travel to Utah’s development camp in Park City for four days of training with Utah staff, on-ice drills and off-ice workouts at the Park City Ice Arena and meet with Utah’s think tank.

The development camp will conclude with an open scrimmage game on July 5 at 1:00 p.m. MDT at the Delta Center, giving fans their first opportunity to see Utah’s draft picks, as well as other players from the UHC farm system, in action.

In Park City, Iginla will look to show why Utah ranked him so highly – because of his positional versatility. Iginla said Sunday that while it’s good to play both center and wing, he sees himself more as a center in the NHL because of his speed and agility while skating, his puck handling and his playmaking and scoring ability.

“I think it’s just about all aspects of my game, my skill, my speed, my competitiveness, and just trying to prove myself as best as I can,” Iginla said.

In his second season for the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League – the top junior ice hockey league in Canada – Iginla scored 47 goals, making him the team’s leading scorer and ranked 6th in the WHL.

Armstrong told Iginla that Utah had a lot of players who could score 20 goals, but needed a player who could score 50 goals.

No pressure.

A potential 50-goal season for Iginla in the NHL – something his father accomplished only twice – is still a long way off. Armstrong and Utah’s team will give their No. 6 pick plenty of time to develop.

“He has a chance to step up the tempo and score some goals for us. I love his attitude. I love how far he’s come. He’s a long way from that for me in the sense that he still has a lot of growing to do as a player and that’s what we like about him,” Armstrong said.

“A contagious work ethic”

Armstrong paid a high compliment to Cole Beaudoin, who was selected No. 24 after being traded in the first round to draft him.

“His work ethic could change the culture of our organization just by how hard he plays the game,” Utah’s general manager said.

In May, The Athletic’s NHL draft writer Scott Wheeler reported that some NHL teams had asked whether a video of Beaudoin lifting weights was fake.

It was genuine, something that showcased the new Utah center’s skill and dedication in the gym and his commitment to his physical fitness – he does not just weight lifting, but stretching and yoga – all of which strengthens his game on the ice.

“Cole is someone who has an infectious work ethic, and when you watch him play, you fall in love with the way he plays hard, how hard he trains, how seriously he takes the game,” Armstrong said.

At 6’2″ and 205 pounds, Beaudoin is an impressive player, and it’s evident in his scouting report: he’s physical, strong, aggressive, and hardworking, and he’s always near the puck and winning duels, while also being adept at playmaking and shooting.

Beaudoin scored 62 points last season – 28 goals and 34 assists – for the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League, Canada’s top junior ice hockey league.

“Someone who gives everything no matter what the situation,” Beaudoin said Sunday. “Whether it’s in the gym, in practice or in the game, I’m going to give everything and help the team defensively. On offense, I’m helping them score goals, but also helping them keep the puck out of our net.”

Although Beaudoin was not born until four years later, his father Eric already had experience as a professional hockey player in Utah, having played in 44 games for the Utah Grizzlies during the 2001-02 season.

“After (the draft) I talked to him and he said it was an incredible city and an incredible place. So obviously he was only here for a short time, but he loved it here, so I can’t wait to get started here,” Beaudoin said.

Beaudoin’s NHL trial begins on Monday and he wants to hit the ground running.

“I think with my style of play and the way I play, I’m going to try to make it as early as possible. I’m going to go to training camp and try to make it this year. And if not, then I’m going to go back to my club team and play a good year. Then I’m going to go into next year and try to make the team right away. And I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen,” Beaudoin said.

“He is a great man”

In addition to introducing Utah’s two 2024 first-round picks to local media, UHC also brought 2022 pick Maveric Lamoureux to the podium at the Grand America.

The franchise’s move from Arizona to Utah coincides with a change of sides in Lamoureux’s career. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound defenseman, who spent the last two years in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, one of three leagues in the top division of Canadian junior hockey, had to undergo shoulder surgery during each of the last two offseasons.

Last season, Lamoureux scored nine goals and had 24 assists for Drummondville Voltigeurs in just 29 games played. Due to the surgery, the tall Lamoureux will not participate in any practices at the team’s development camp, but will be surrounded by coaches and players in Park City.

“I spent the whole summer in Arizona with the team there to progress faster and continue to improve my shoulder, and now I’m well on my way there,” he said.

“I’ll be ready for the rookie tournament, that’s for sure, but it’s not that time yet. I’m not going to train this week. I’m just going to train and make sure my shoulder gets healthier every day.”

Lamoureux is still trying to reduce the amount of penalties he takes at his size and is learning to control his frame. If he can do that and stay healthy, he’s a promising candidate for UHC.

“He’s a big man. He’s someone who can cover a lot of ice,” Armstrong said. “I think what you love about Mav is his ability to step up.”

“He has the same attitude that I had about a player we drafted in St. Louis named Colton Parayko. Every time you see him, he’s a little stronger, a little faster, a little better, and at that size, they can have a big impact on your team, not so much in terms of points, but in terms of the number of minutes they can play in different situations.”