Could the Utah Hockey Club look for another defenseman after having two rearguards suffer long-term injuries? Sean Durzi [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjEwMjM0OTUyMjQ2MTA5Mzg4/usatsi_24456810_168400847_lowres.jpg] Sean Durzi This NHL season is only over two weeks old, but injuries are already taking a toll on the Utah Hockey Club's defense corps. On Wednesday, the club announced Sean Durzi will miss four to six months [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/utah/latest-news/sean-durzi-and-john-marino-out-multiple-months-with-injuries] following surgery on his right shoulder earlier this week. Meanwhile, John Marino is expected to be out for three to four months following a procedure on his back. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman observed [https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/32-thoughts-wilds-kirill-kaprizov-should-be-in-hart-trophy-race/] their absences put a big dent on the right side of Utah's blueline [https://thehockeynews.com/lineups/central/utah-hockey-club-projected-lineup-and-depth-chart], though Michael Kesselring's emergence partially offsets that issue. Friedman indicated that Utah management doesn't want to make panicky, quick-fix trades. Nevertheless, they're monitoring the trade market for potential blueline options. TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports [https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/early-trading-utah-hockey-club-montreal-canadiens-exploring-nhl-trade-market-1.2194640] Utah GM Bill Armstrong checked into the availability of Columbus Blue Jackets rearguard Ivan Provorov. The 27-year-old Provorov is slated to become a UFA in July and could be in demand by the March 7 trade deadline. LeBrun indicated the Jackets aren't ready yet to part with him. Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun suggested [https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/leafs-should-keep-old-habit-speculation-liljegren] Timothy Liljegren of the Maple Leafs could be enticing for Utah. The 25-year-old right-shot defenseman has a frequent healthy scratch and the subject of trade rumors [https://thehockeynews.com/news/what-will-the-toronto-maple-leafs-do-with-timothy-liljegren] since the start of the season. Utah has over $8.2 million in salary-cap space [https://puckpedia.com/team/utah-hc], so it can easily afford Liljegren, who carries an average annual value of $3 million through 2025-26 [https://puckpedia.com/player/timothy-liljegren]. However, LeBrun believes Liljegren isn't that appealing to Utah HC because he has term remaining on his contract. Michael Carcone could be a trade chip for Armstrong to dangle for a defenseman. The 28-year-old forward is earning $775,000 this season on an expiring contract. Carcone tallied 21 goals last season but was a healthy scratch in five of Utah's first eight games. Friedman believes another club could give him a roster spot if he can't secure one with Utah. Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here [https://info.thehockeynews.com/mail/microsites/951/1/gTeQVf?_gl=1*ustlbj*_ga*NjkyMzUxMy4xNjYzNjIwMzQ3*_ga_PK63FB1PME*MTcxMzUwOTExNi40NDguMS4xNzEzNTA5MjA5LjU5LjAuMA..]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum [https://thehockeynews.rtb.io/THNHOME/posts].
