After an eventful offseason, highlighted by the addition of defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, here’s a look at who will lead the Utah Hockey Club in noteworthy statistical categories in 2024-25. Three Utah writers at The Hockey Writers – Chase Beardsley, Cooper Kirgbaum and I – predict the team’s leader in goals, assists, points, and plus/minus this season.
Goals
Parker: Dylan Guenther – 35 Goals
Forward Dylan Guenther’s 45-game stint with the Arizona Coyotes last season was just a sample of his potential. The 21-year-old potted 18 goals and 17 assists. With arguably the best right-handed shot on Utah’s team, look for him to receive top power-play unit minutes this season. With forwards Lawson Crouse and Logan Cooley, that line should stick together and further his offensive production. The 6-foot-2, 174-pounder recently signed an eight-year extension worth $7.14 million average annual value (AAV).
Related: Utah Counting on Dylan Guenther in Inaugural NHL Season
Chase: Dylan Guenther – 38 Goals
Last season, Guenther only played 45 NHL games. However, he produced 18 goals and helped Cooley improve his game. Now, he will look to take another step in his development, which could mean leading the team in goals. If he’s with Cooley or someone different, like Clayton Keller – who he’s been paired with a couple of times during the preseason – the first-round pick should be a big part of Utah’s offense this season.
Cooper: Dylan Guenther – 40 Goals
Many questioned Guenther’s recent contract extension, and to be fair, he hasn’t played an entire season in the NHL yet. However, his shot is undeniable, and he has the potential to be one of the best in the league. That’s why he’ll lead Utah in scoring with 40 goals. His ability to score on the power play is elite, and his chemistry with Cooley was undeniable last season, thus becoming the first Utah player to score 40 goals in franchise history.
Assists
Parker: Matias Maccelli – 40 Assists
Forward Matias Maccelli has finished second on the team in assists the past two seasons (38 in 2022-23 and 40 in 2023-24). Arizona’s 2019 fourth-round selection has a gifted vision with the puck on his stick. His 49-point season in 2022-23 slotted him in second for the rookie-scoring race, playing in 64 games. While the 23-year-old may not have a spot in Utah’s top six, he will certainly be a go-to player on the man advantage and other open-ice situations.
Chase: Clayton Keller – 55 Assists
While forward Clayton Keller is the safe pick to lead the team in assists, there’s a reason for that. The longtime Coyote has led the team in points and assists for the past two seasons and that streak could continue this season. He’ll be surrounded by better players, especially on the blue line with Sergachev and John Marino, which will help Keller continue his offensive dominance in Utah.
Cooper: Mikhail Sergachev – 51 Assists
It may be a hot take to have a defenseman lead the team in assists, but Sergachev will be put in a perfect situation in Utah. He’s spent the past several seasons behind future Hall-of-Famer Victor Hedman and is now ready to take on the ranks of a number-one defenseman. Sergachev will have all the tools at his disposal to succeed, and after seeing what Sean Durzi could do last year, it makes a lot of sense.
Points
Parker: Clayton Keller – 81 Points
Keller has led the Coyotes in points the past three seasons (63 in 2021-22, 86 in 2022-23 and 78 in 2023-24). He and forward Nick Schmaltz have been staples on Arizona’s top line and power-play unit. With forward Barrett Hayton returning from an injury-riddled 2023-24 season, the team plans to recreate their first line. The eight-year Coyote will look to carry over his recent success to Utah.
Chase: Clayton Keller – 86 points
In 2022-23, Keller tied Keith Tkachuk’s Coyotes’ record for most points in a single season. Most fans thought he would break it the following season, but he didn’t. Though there’s no record to break this season, Keller should come back to being slightly above a point-per-game player, especially if a healthy Hayton is on the team for a significant amount of time.
Cooper: Clayton Keller – 89 Points
This one seems obvious, at least halfway through the preseason, but Keller will again lead the team in points. His playmaking ability and sense of the ice have been on display the past two seasons, and he’s still only 25 years old. However, Keller’s linemate, Hayton, has to stay healthy, as the two have formed great chemistry.
Plus/Minus Rating
Parker: John Marino – Plus-15
Despite posting a minus-6 rating last season, defenseman John Marino will lead Utah in this statistic this season. He was with the New Jersey Devils last season, and they suffered injuries and inconsistent goalie play, a perfect recipe to throw off every player’s plus/minus rating. In 2022-23, the 6-foot-1, 183-pounder was a plus-25. He has had a positive plus/minus rating in four of his five seasons in the NHL, and the right-handed shot is slotted to be the team’s second-pair defenseman this season.
Chase: Juuso Välimäki – Plus-13
Last season, Juuso Välimäki was one of the most underrated defensemen in the Western Conference, posting 17 points and a plus-12 on a Coyotes team with troubling defense. With the additions of Sergachev, Marino, and Ian Cole, defense is no longer a problem, which should help Välimäki’s game grow even more. The Finnish defenseman has found a home in Utah and could end up being a secret part of a great blue line.
Cooper: Sean Durzi – Plus-12
Defenseman Sean Durzi’s performance last season came as a surprise. He found much of his success on the power play and was dynamite in the offensive zone, something the Coyotes had lacked on the blue line. With the additions of Marino and Sergachev, the pressure won’t be as high, giving Durzi plenty of opportunity to succeed this season.
Goalie Wins
Parker: Connor Ingram – 27 Wins
Goalie Connor Ingram was tied for the league lead in shutouts last season with six. He was Arizona’s better netminder in the second half of the Coyotes’ final season in the NHL. The 6-foot-2, 196-pounder posted a 23-21-3 record with a 2.91 goals-against average (GAA) and a .907 save percentage (SV%). The 2024 recipient of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy will look to maintain his position as Utah’s starter going into this season.
Chase: Connor Ingram – 26 Wins
Last season, Ingram stole the starting net job from Karel Vejmelka during the final stretch. However, this is a brand new season, and if there’s anything we learned about head coach Andre Tourigny, it’s that he likes a 1A-1B goaltending system. Starts will most likely be split between the two goalies to start the season, and wins could be closer than fans expect. However, Ingram is still the better of the two and will most likely get a couple more starts than Vejmelka. It wouldn’t be surprising, though, if roles somehow are reversed come the end of the season.
Cooper: Connor Ingram – 28 Wins
In the latter half of the 2023-24 season, Ingram took the reins as the starting netminder, and when he was on his A-game, watching him take over games was special. Twenty-eight wins for Ingram this season feels like a fair amount, especially given the improved defense in front of him with Sergachev and Marino. Expect Ingram to shine once again this season.
Whether or not these predictions come true, when it comes time for post-season play, Utah will hope that these players have done enough to earn them a playoff spot by the time mid-April 2025 rolls around.
