Utah HC's inaugural roster is all but set. Now, it's about filling in the gaps.
The Utah Hockey Club signed forward Barrett Hayton to a two-year deal Monday, setting the final piece of the roster for their inaugural season.
And while the players are recharging their batteries (and the coaches too), general manager Bill Armstrong and president Chris Armstrong may have much to think about during this dead period.
Names like forwards Martin Necas, Sammy Blais, and Connor Dewar are still out there, and defenceman Jacob Trouba's name has been circling in trade rumors.
There's also the matter of Tij Iginla and if the club could sign him this season or not, along with fellow first-rounder Cole Beaudoin, and the other draft picks selected back on June 28 and 29 in Las Vegas.
While there certainly are questions about filling the gaps, you can't deny the huge wins the front office has had this last month.
The additions of Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino, and Ian Cole were big boosts to the defence, and signing Florida forward Kevin Stenlund gives some stability to the bottom six.
Bringing back young talents like Juuso Valimaki and Sean Durzi also sets the table for their development, and re-signing Hayton also shows the trust the Armstrongs have in what players can become in the future.
It's what they've been building for since day one; thus, it's no wonder fans in Utah and around the league are excited to see what's next.
And I'm one of them.