Utah Hockey Club causes a stir in the NHL draft with the transfer of Sergachev and Marino

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Whether it was the infectious enthusiasm of owner Ryan Smith, the excitement of signing two centers in the first round of the NHL Draft or the new blue suit, tie and Utah Hockey Club lapel pin he wore, general manager Bill Armstrong woke up Saturday full of energy.

“I woke up this morning after sleeping for a good two minutes and said, ‘Let’s shock the world,'” Armstrong said.

“Shock” may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the NHL’s newest market in Salt Lake City – where the Arizona Coyotes relocated in April – made its presence felt on the second and final day of the seven-round draft at the Sphere.

After barely 10 picks in the second round, Utah made two trades within minutes of each other to fill its defensive needs with experienced veterans. The team first signed two-time Stanley Cup winner Mikhail Sergachev from Tampa Bay in a blockbuster, followed by the signing of John Marino from New Jersey.

“I’m not sure you can do that in the fourth year of rebuilding and completely tearing it down and rebuilding it,” Armstrong said, asked how much closer he thought Utah was to being a contender. “But it’s a step in the right direction.”

The club entered the draft with 13 picks, and Armstrong fulfilled his intention of using some of them as assets. After using the team’s first pick by selecting forward Tij Iginla – son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla – with the No. 6 pick, Armstrong traded three picks to Colorado and moved up 14 spots to select center Cole Beaudoin with the No. 24 pick.

Whatever restrictions Armstrong faced in Arizona under former Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo, Smith has lifted them. The 46-year-old made his fortune in the technology industry and is now changing Utah’s sports landscape as owner of the NBA Jazz and MLS team Real Salt Lake, while also leading a bid for the 2034 Winter Olympics.

Smith had already made it clear a day earlier that Utah would take a more aggressive approach when he was asked to assess the timetable for his team’s gradual rebuilding.

“I’m happy with where we are,” Smith said. “And I think that’s something we’re constantly reviewing. And that’s the plan until it’s not the plan.”

One day later, Armstrong’s plan has noticeably shifted into the fast lane.

A murmur went through the crowd when NHL Vice President Bill Daly announced the Sergachev transfer at the beginning of the second round. Utah sent defenseman JJ Moser and forward talent Conor Geekie, a 2025 second-round pick and the 199th pick in this year’s draft.

Shortly thereafter, Daly was back on the microphone to tell fans and the rest of the hockey community that Utah was not done yet and got Marino and the Devils’ 153rd pick for No. 49 and Edmonton’s second-round pick in 2025.

“We traded away a 26-year-old No. 1 defenseman who won the Stanley Cup twice, and that’s not easy,” said Lightning GM Julien BriseBois. “Kudos to Bill Armstrong and his group in Utah for signing such a great young player.”

The Lightning have been in a rebuilding phase since winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup. The trade of Sergachev, who is under contract until 2031, saved them an annual salary cap hit of $8.5 million. They also traded forward Tanner Jeannot to Los Angeles.

And the Lightning could lose captain Steven Stamkos, who is still expected to become a free agent on Monday, BriseBois and agent Don Meehan confirmed Saturday.

In total, there were 22 trades on the second day of the draft, including 15 players and 52 draft picks.

The Washington Capitals acquired goalie Logan Thompson from Las Vegas and traded fourth-line winger Beck Malenstyn to Buffalo. Pittsburgh acquired forward Kevin Hayes and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft from St. Louis for future use.

The Toronto Maple Leafs traded up a 2026 seventh-round pick to sign defenseman Chris Tanev from Dallas, expecting to be able to sign the player in Year 15 before he becomes a free agent.

Although Smith and Armstrong indicated they would not be too generous when free agency begins on Monday, that did not mean they would not improve the team in other ways during the two-day draft weekend.

In Arizona, the Coyotes were known for being in a constant rebuilding process, making the playoffs only once in the last 12 years while moving from one arena to another before finally moving north.

It’s a whole new world in Utah, where the so-called Hockey Club has already generated 30,000 season tickets (for this season) for a basketball facility, the Delta Center, with a seating capacity of 16,200 for hockey – and not all of them directly at the ice. A permanent name will be announced before 2025-26, with Utah HC, Blizzard, Mammoth, Outlaws, Venom and Yeti being the six possibilities.

“We’re the youngest state (demographically) and we’re also the fastest growing. So when you look at both metrics, the NHL can say, ‘Wow, we made the right move,'” Smith said.

For Smith, it’s about balancing his enthusiasm and his patience.

“You have to deal with conflicting emotions all the time. You want to win now, but you want to win long-term. And you want to create that culture,” he said. “But we’re young and the future looks really bright.”

Even brighter after this weekend.

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AP hockey writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.

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