The Utah Hockey Club‘s inaugural campaign will get underway with a few former NCAA players on the roster, including Clayton Keller (Boston University), Nick Schmaltz (University of North Dakota), Nick Bjugstad and Logan Cooley (University of Minnesota), Josh Doan (Arizona State University), Alexander Kerfoot (Harvard University), and Jack McBain (Boston College). On the backend, defensemen John Marino (Harvard University) and Ian Cole (University of Notre Dame) wrap up the nine players with collegiate hockey experience.
Utah also holds rights to seven college players who are not under contract. Here’s a deeper look at Utah’s NCAA prospects, forward Tanner Ludkte, goalie Michael Hrabal, and defenseman Will Skahan.
Tanner Ludkte
Arizona’s third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft played his freshman year at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. The Mavericks posted a 23-13-4 (13-8-3 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC)) record. The 19-year-old led Omaha in scoring with 28 points, one point ahead of his brother Griffin Ludkte.
His only game-winning goal came during one of the most exciting games in the NCHC last season. Omaha took on the No. 15/14 ranked St. Cloud State University Huskies in a back-and-forth, 13-goal game. Ludkte ended it in overtime with a one-timer from the top of the right face-off circle on the power play. Of course, his brother received the primary assist on the game-winning goal, giving the Mavericks a 7-6 victory.
Before joining Ohama for the 2023-24 season, he played with the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL). After scoring one goal in 24 games during his 2022-23 campaign, Ludkte flipped the script. The left-handed shot potted 32 goals and 34 assists in 57 games during the 2023-24 season for the Stars.
The 6-foot, 185-pounder looks to build off his impressive team-leading freshman campaign heading into his sophomore season. Ludkte’s grandparents lived in Sun City West, Arizona, when he was drafted, and he attended Arizona Coyotes games as a kid when he visited from his Elko, Minnesota roots.
Ludkte commented on the importance of being drafted by the Coyotes. “It’s a dream come true,” Ludtke said. “Honestly, the last few days were a little stressful, but just being here with my family is super cool. It’s a super fun experience, and getting drafted by the Coyotes was a dream. I was hoping for these guys, and it came true. So, that’s pretty cool.”
Michael Hrabal
The Coyotes’ 2023 second-round selection in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft was the second goalie taken off the board of his draft class. On paper, Hrabal has the perfect build for a netminder at 6-foot-6 and 209 pounds. His height advantage helps him see over screens in front, and his length allows him to eat up a lot of space in net.
The Czechia-born netminder played his freshman year at the University of Massachusetts, playing 30 of the Minutemen’s 40 games last season, finishing with a record of 16-12-1. He had two 35-save-plus shutouts against the University of Connecticut and Minnesota State University. Moreover, he finished with a 2.59 goals-against average (GAA) and a .912 save percentage (SV%).
However, Hrabal’s most eye-catching game of his freshman season came against the University of Denver Pioneers (the eventual 2024 National Champions). In the first national championship round, the Minutemen took the Pioneers to double overtime before falling 2-1. He stopped 41/43 shots in a game that lasted over 92 minutes.
Related: Utah Hockey Club’s Top 15 Prospects Heading Into 2024-25
Despite being a second-round pick, Hrabal understands the hard work required to make it to the NHL level. “It’s definitely a great feeling, but I always say that it actually means nothing for the future,” Hrabal said. “The hardest work is still ahead of me, just excited that I’m at the place where I am right now. There’s still plenty ahead of me.”
With goalies Connor Ingram and Karel Vejmelka solidifying their place as Utah’s goaltender tandem, Hrabal will have to wait for his time to shine and maybe develop at the American Hockey League (AHL) level first.
Will Skahan
Utah’s 2024 second-round selection will play his freshman year at Boston College this season. Skahan looks to become the first player from Orange, California, to make the NHL level. He has spent the last several seasons playing for various U.S. National Development and Junior teams. Last season, he notched 14 points in 60 games, with a plus-34 rating, playing for the U.S. National 18u Team.
The 6-foot-4, 216-pounder brings a physical game and shutdown capabilities. It should come as no surprise that the 18-year-old has such a developed build because his father, Sean Skahan, was the Anaheim Ducks’ strength and conditioning coach for 13 seasons.
While the left-handed shot is still a raw talent and is developing his craft, Skahan was excited to be drafted by the NHL’s newest franchise. “I’m fired up,” Skahan said. “New team, fresh start. I’m looking forward to someday being a part of this stuff. I’m really competitive. I’ll do anything to win. I bring hard defense and move the puck well. The main thing is my physicality and my defense.”
Utah has a deep prospect pool with plenty of players to keep an eye on this season and for years to come.
