After the Utah Hockey Club traded their seventh-round pick, they had four draft picks remaining. There were two picks in the fourth round and two in the fifth, so with that, let's recap the last four picks made by Utah.
Pick 135: Owen Allard (C, Soo)
With the 135th pick in the fifth round, Utah selects Soo Greyhounds' forward Owen Allard.
Allard was passed over in the last two NHL drafts, but he kept working hard, and it finally paid off. After making Team Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championships, it became apparent that he was going to be drafted in this third go-around.
Pick 153: Ales Cech (D, Czechia)
With the 153rd pick in the fifth round, Utah drafted defenseman Ales Cech from Czechia.
Another player was passed over in the 2023 NHL Draft but heard his name called this year. It is not surprising that Utah selected another defenseman with size. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Cech is yet another defensive defenseman.
Pick 167: Vojtech Hradec (C, Mlada Boleslav)
Utah's next selection was the sixth-round pick with the 167th pick, and they drafted forward Vojtech Hradec.
Hradec is a big-bodied centerman. At 6-foot-4, 201 pounds, he fits exactly what Utah wanted in this draft. He is known to be a reliable defensive forward who excels in his zone.
Pick 190: Ludvig Lafton (D, Norway)
Utah's last pick in the 2024 NHL Draft comes at the 190th pick, and they selected defenseman Ludvig Lafton out of Norway.
Utah rounds out their 2024 NHL Draft with yet another big-bodied defenseman. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Lafton will likely be a fringe NHL player after he makes his way overseas to Utah. However, Utah has the time with the moves that they have made today at the draft to allow him to season in their system and become the best version of himself.