Analysis of the Utah Hockey Club’s 2024 NHL Draft

The Utah Hockey Club’s first real step as an NHL franchise came last week when they drafted their first team at the 2024 NHL Draft.

Unless they have been joined by previous new teams like the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights, the Utah Hockey Club already has a full NHL roster without having to go through an expansion draft. That’s because Utah acquired all of the Arizona Coyotes’ assets. Still, Utah’s selection of its first draft class was a notable moment at the NHL Draft.

The first round: Iginla and Beaudoin

Utah faced pressure early in the draft, selecting the sixth player overall. Hockey may be new to Salt Lake City, but their first draft pick is no stranger to the game. Tij Iginla was drafted sixth by the club. The 6’1″ forward won a gold medal with the Canadian national team at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Junior Championship and will definitely factor into the organization’s future plans. He is also the son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla.

Utah also surprised fans on the first night of the draft by moving up to the 24th spot in the draft after trading up a second and third round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in 2025. With that pick, the club drafted Cole Beaudoin.

With Beaudoin, Utah has expanded its talent pool considerably. The 6’2″, 215-pound forward can definitely make a difference in the lineup.

The second round: Skahan

Skahan is a tall defender at 6’4″. The club needs to add some tall defenders to their roster as this season and this free agent have shown that defenders with size are highly valued.

The third round: Lavoie and Breton

Skahan and Lavoie would make a great duo in the NHL. Breton is another defenseman who could make the lineup.

The fourth round: Beaver and Smith

Beaver is another example of selecting a tall, physically strong defenseman. The hockey club valued that highly in this draft. At 6’4″, Smith is a very capable forward who could make the lineup in three to five years.

The fifth round: Allard and Cech

Utah drafted Owen Allard and Ales Cech in the fifth round. Allard is a center who made Canada’s World Junior team last season. At 6’2″, he could easily play in a bottom-six position later on.

The sixth round: Hradec and Lafton

In the sixth round, the team drafted Vojtech Hradec (forward) and Ludvig Lafton (defenseman). Both players have size, which adds to the overall theme of the team’s draft class.