Sean Durzi and Utah Hockey Club agree to 4-year contract extension

July 1, 2024

By Eric Stephens, Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun

The Utah Hockey Club is coming off an aggressive first offseason since moving from Arizona as the Coyotes and further solidified its defense on Sunday by re-signing Sean Durzi to a four-year contract.

The athleteChris Johnston reported that Durzi’s contract extension has an average value of $6 million. According to league sources, Durzi, 25, will earn $7.1 million next season, $5.6 million in 2025-26, $4.8 million in 2026-27 and $6.5 million in 2027-28. There is a clause prohibiting transfer to 10 teams in the third and fourth years.

“We are very excited to have Sean join us in Utah for the next four years,” said Utah HC General Manager Bill Armstrong. “Sean is a reliable defenseman who can anchor the power play and provide offense from the blue line. He is a young, highly talented defenseman with an incredibly promising future and we look forward to having him as a starter for this organization.”

DURZI RETURNS ✍️🩵

We have signed Sean Durzi to a four-year contract!#UtahHC pic.twitter.com/rXBdB0szg6

— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 30, 2024

Durzi was the Coyotes’ top defenseman with nine goals, 32 assists and 41 points. He was traded from the Los Angeles Kings last summer for a second-round pick in this year’s draft. The Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2018 second-round pick flourished in a top-four, high-minute position for the Coyotes after playing further back on the Kings’ defense line.

“I think I have a lot more to achieve,” said Durzi The athlete last October. “That’s always been my way of approaching it. You always feel like you can give more, and I think that’s really, really important for me. My ceiling is – I don’t know yet. I think there’s so much more I can get better at. I’ve already learned so much more this year than I thought I could learn. And so it’s always what you do day by day. Can I get better in those areas?

“And that’s my goal. My goal is to be a complete player. A guy you can rely on, whether you need a goal with 30 minutes to go or a shot off the board with 30 minutes to go. A guy who can fight for his teammates and put his heart on the line for the team every night.”

Utah was active early in Ryan Smith’s ownership of the club. With none of its defensemen signed after the 2023-24 season, Utah used its massive salary cap to revamp the defense by signing Mikhail Sergachev (with JJ Moser moving to Tampa Bay) and John Marino, and bringing back Michael Kesselring and Juuso Välimäki on new contracts.

By re-signing Durzi, Utah could enter next season with its new No. 1 defenseman, Sergachev, and right-shooter Durzi as a likely partner on the top pairing. Utah, which has made a splash under Smith, has another $22 million under the salary cap available when free agency begins Monday, according to CapFriendly estimates.