With Cole Beaudoin's signing, how complicated will picking an opening night roster be?
We already know Utah HC has a pretty loaded prospect pool, and we also already know there's plenty of returning production on both ends of the ice.
Now that two and two are together, it makes for an extremely complicated equation.
The club signed first-round pick Cole Beaudoin to an entry-level deal Monday, ensuring the two cornerstones of the 2024 off-season are locked in for the future.
It's an off-season that was highlighted by the blockbuster Mikhail Sergachev trade and the additions of Ian Cole, John Marino, and Kevin Stenlund, along with the re-signings of Barrett Hayton and Sean Durzi.
The question now becomes how head coach Andre Tourigny, general manager Bill Armstrong, and president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong balance the youth with experience.
Utah has the youngest group of forwards in the league, but probably no other forwards group has the biggest upside.
The additions of Sergachev, Cole, and Marino add proven winners to the squad that will also lend a verbal and physical voice.
It's likely those three will all start October 8 versus Chicago, and it's likely Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, and the others will be there as well.
It's the others outside of those normal suspects that gets pretty murky.
When those questions will be answered, we don't know. Maybe it could be in training camp, maybe it could be after opening night -- there's 82 games to get it right, after all.
But of course, a lot can change, and the choices made won't be easy.
So, at least on this front, the waiting will continue.