NHL Utah might not be called the Yeti yet, but the team has some big bodies in its prospect pipeline who could help make the squad a beast down the line.
The Utah Hockey Club is today's focus in the NHL prospect pool overview series.
Tony Ferrari examines Utah's strengths and weaknesses, gives a quick overview of its latest draft class, shows its positional depth chart and examines who could be next in line for an NHL chance.
A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for these exercises, except in very specific cases.
First Thoughts
The Utah Hockey Club comes into its first season with a fairly strong prospect pool, having inherited the former Arizona Coyotes roster and pipeline.
They looked to be bold at the 2024 NHL draft in Nashville, taking some big-name talent in the draft and then making noise on the trade front. Most notably, Utah moved top prospect Conor Geekie and young defender J.J. Moser, along with picks to the Tampa Bay Lightning for stud blueliner Mikhail Sergachev. They then moved more draft capital to acquire John Marino from the New Jersey Devils, helping reshape the future of their blueline.
Speaking of their blueline, the pipeline on the back end has a couple of really interesting players who could be big pieces for them – quite literally.
Dmitriy Simashev is an absolute unit on the back end, using all 6-foot-5, 205 pounds of his frame defensively to shut opponents down. His skating is incredible for a player of his size, particularly his agility. Simashev is quick and decisive defensively, eliminating opponents while maintaining an excellent position on the puck to recover loose pucks. He can start a breakout with crisp passing, and he has a booming shot from the blueline that he doesn’t use all that often. With underrated puckhandling and a more aggressive on-puck approach as he matures, Simashev could be a pillar on Utah’s back end.
Another massive blueliner in the system is Maveric Lamoureux, who stands 6-foot-6. After a solid junior career littered with injuries, Lamoureux will join the Tucson Roadrunners next season to start his pro career. Lamoureux is a defensive specialist who uses his reach to wreak havoc on opposing rush attacks. He must continue to work on his fluidity as a skater, but he can get around the ice fairly well for his size. His offensive game began to flourish a bit last season, but if he can uses his booming shot and maintain steady breakout passing, that will be more than enough for him at the pro level.
Utah’s management staff hasn’t shied away from size up front either with Danil But. At 6-foot-5, there aren’t many players who can move, handle the puck and generate functional offense at the pro level. But can absolutely rip the puck from various positions on the ice, whether on the rush or at a standstill.
It’s been impressive to see the growth in But’s game, mostly from developing his skating and playing at an increased pace. He has one year left on his contract, so once the KHL year is over, But might join the Utah organization before the end of the season.
Even their prospects who aren't massive play with plenty of extra physicality. Ilya Fedotov looks to put his opponents on their backs on his way to the net. He has a good shot as well, finishing from the faceoff circles and the slot. Fedotov’s contract in Russia runs for a few more years, but he could be worth the wait.
After a solid NCAA freshman season, Tanner Ludtke could be a solid prospect for Utah. His playmaking is solid, especially when working off the walls and into the slot. He thrives when he can be an off-puck attacker, playing off a play driver who is a bit more puck-dominant.
Josh Doan made his NHL debut late last season when the team was still in Arizona, giving the Coyotes one last experience with a Doan on the ice after his father captained the team for so long. His successful run with the Coyotes in their final 11 games should earn him a roster spot as the team takes the ice in Utah in the fall for the first time. Doan plays a hard-working, honest game that isn’t uber-skilled. He plays north-south hockey and works hard on the forecheck. Playing the final game in Arizona and the first in Utah will be poetic, as his father’s rookie season in Winnipeg ended with the team moving to Arizona the following fall.
In net, the franchise has often found ways to develop players. Michael Hrabal is their top goalie prospect, and he’s had some really nice showings, particularly internationally. He can be a bit wild when moving laterally, exposing holes under his arms and between his legs, but he makes the save when he can square up. Finding a way to be a bit quicker will help cut down on his gaps in coverage while moving.
U-23 Players Likely To Be on the NHL Roster
Logan Cooley (C), Dylan Guenther (RW/LW), Josh Doan (RW), Vladislav Kolyachonok (LD)
2024 NHL Draft Class
Round 1, 6th overall - Tij Iginla, LW/C, Kelowna (WHL)
Round 1, 24th overall - Cole Beaudoin, C, Barrie (OHL)
Round 2, 65th overall - Will Skahan, LD, U.S. NTDP (USHL)
Round 3, 89th overall - Tomas Lavoie, RD, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Round 3, 96th overall - Veeti Vaisanen, LD, Kookoo (Finland)
Round 4, 98th overall - Gregor Biber, LD, Rogle Jr. (Swe.)
Round 4, 103rd overall - Gabe Smith, C, Moncton (QMJHL)
Round 5, 135th overall - Owen Allard, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Round 5, 153rd overall - Ales Cech, LD, Mlada Boleslav (Czechia)
Round 6, 167th overall - Vojtech Hradec, C, Mlada Boleslav (Czechia)
Round 6, 190th overall - Ludvig Lafton, LD, Frajestad Jr. (Swe.)
Utah made a big statement before even hitting the ice.
The new ownership group put its bank account to work by acquiring Sergachev and Marino for picks and prospects. Although that took away some of their draft capital, they still made 11 picks in Vegas, starting with winger Tij Iginla, son of NHL Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla.
Iginla is a high-energy, high-pace winger who hopes to move to center next season. His shot is very good, with a quick release and impressive accuracy. His work rate along the boards and ability to win puck battles also display his physical strength.
Iginla has many pro tendencies. He always seems to know where to be and when to be there, as well as many of the little things needed to regain possession of the puck for his team. His most underrated trait is his playmaking, which is lethal at times. Iginla often made plays to set up teammates in ideal scoring positions who couldn’t finish or fired pucks wide, negating his passing skill. Iginla was well worth the sixth-overall pick.
At 24th overall, getting Cole Beaudoin was a solid pickup for Utah. He was a late riser who had a very good U-18 tournament, playing a "straight ahead, go to the net and crash" game. He brings an element of power and physicality away from the puck as well. Beaudoin is a smart and diligent 200-foot player who isn’t often caught in a bad spot. Beaudoin is a good shooter on the rush as well. He could be an ideal third-line center who can score a bit and provide solid defensive play. His versatility has allowed him to thrive in various roles.
Will Skahan is another big, physical defender. Skahan plays with a desire to dole out punishment. He guides attackers to the boards with his stick as if he’s herding them like sheep and then blows them up along the wall. With the puck, he is best when he just keeps things simple and hits his outlets or moves the puck to his defense partner.
Then there's Tomas Lavoie, a 6-foot-4 defenseman. He closes gaps, crushes his opponents along the boards and consistently looks to shut play down with his physical play. Lavoie doesn’t try to do too much, rarely looking to skate with the puck, but that also causes him to occasionally panic when he has it, flinging it off the boards to safety rather than finding a teammate. His game is simple and defensively oriented, so if he keeps to that, he can be a solid prospect.
Later in the third round, Utah took mobile Finnish defender Veeti Vaisanen. He doesn't throw the biggest hits, but he routinely engages and looks to get involved in puck battles. Vaisanen moves the puck well and makes accurate, crisp passes on the breakout. He will jump up and get involved offensively, but he won't do anything overly impressive. He just finds a way to make a play.
They then got the 6-foot-3, defense-only Gregor Biber. The Austrian defender is playing in Sweden at the junior level, with almost non-existent offensive production. His game is built solely on playing the body of the attacking player and quickly bumping the puck to a teammate who can make a good play with it. It’s not fun, and the upside is questionable, but it can be effective.
Sticking to their guns and drafting size, Gabe Smith was their second pick in the fourth round. The Moncton Wildcats center is a solid net-front presence who will crash and bang on his way to the net. He didn’t score much, but he brings an edge to the game. If his mobility and puckhandling ever become close to average, he could find a role on a fourth line one day in the NHL.
At the World Junior Championship, Owen Allard was an underdog who made the Canadian roster despite being an undrafted overage prospect who wasn’t a high-end offensive producer. Utah kept him from being undrafted once again, taking the high-energy forward in the fifth round. His puck skill is fairly limited, but he works to get open and go to the net. He always tries to hunt down the puck when his team doesn’t have it. He’s a long shot, but he’s beaten the odds before.
Guess what? Utah drafted a big defender in the fifth round, taking Czech defenseman Ales Cech.
With almost a full season in the Czech pro league, there is some evidence he can hold his own against men. He tracks well in transition and holds a good gap to close along the wall and seal off the attacker from the puck. The 6-foot-3 blueliner just turned 20 before the draft, but he will still take some time. For all of the positives with his defensive game, there is a lot to work on when moving the puck.
Utah went back to the same team that Cech plays for with their next pick, taking 6-foot-4 center Vojtech Hradec, who split the year between the junior and men’s level in Czechia. Offensively, he lives around the net, crashing and banging to bury rebounds or deflect pucks. In the defensive zone, he leans on attackers and uses his sheer size to force opposing players to make plays under pressure. Developing his dynamic skill and skating will be integral to where his upside ultimately lands.
Ludvig Lafton was their final draft pick, once again getting a defensively oriented defenseman with some size. The Norwegian blueliner has looked like one of the best players for Norway internationally on the back end. He moved to the Swedish junior level last year, which should help his development. Lafton is a long-shot, late-round swing.
Strengths
Utah doesn’t have a traditional strength in terms of a specific position. The strength of their pipeline is the undeniable surplus of massive players.
GM Bill Armstrong has made no secret about the fact that when he can, he will take a player who is 6-foot-3 or bigger. They have built a pipeline of talent that towers over just about any other in the NHL, and it could help them fill out the roster and make them really hard to play against.
Weaknesses
With a pretty solid prospect pool all around, the biggest weakness is the lack of a top-end center. They have some solid talent there, with Cole Beaudoin heading up the group, but even he probably tops out as a third-line center.
They have Logan Cooley and Barrett Hayton on the NHL roster already, so it’s not like they are in desperate need of a center, but having a top-tier prospect on the way could allow those two to slot into positions more suitable for their skill sets. They could allow Hayton and Beaudoin to battle for the 3C spot and Cooley and the fictional top-tier center prospect to battle for the top spot. Next year's draft could be the time to go get that player.
Next Man Up: Josh Doan, RW
It was a heartfelt moment to see Doan score his first NHL goal and play for the franchise his father was the face of for years. Now, Josh will look to help the franchise take its first steps on Utah ice, which is how his father helped them come to life in Arizona.
In Utah, Doan will be a pivotal piece in the middle of the lineup, with the ability to play in just about any role asked of him. His work ethic, pro habits and understanding of how to play off of his linemates will help him do well. His versatility is one of his best traits, and we should see him in the lineup on opening night in Utah.
Prospect Depth Chart Notables
LW: Tij Iginla, Danil But, Ilya Fedotov, Sam Lipkin, Carson Bantle
C: Cole Beaudoin, Owen Allard, Jonathan Castagna, Tanner Ludtke, Samu Bau
RW: Josh Doan, Miko Matikka, Vadim Moroz, Adam Zlnka
LD: Dmitriy Simashev, Will Skahan, Veeti Vaisanen, Maksymilian Szuber, Justin Kipkie, Artem Duda, Ales Cech
RD: Maveric Lamoureux, Tomas Lavoie
G: Michael Hrabal, Carsen Musser, Anson Thornton, Rasmus Korhonen
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