To kick off the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season, they seemed, at times, unstoppable. Traveling across the country, taking down the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and many more, it seemed like it was all sunshine and rainbows in the 801. Since then, they’ve hit multiple skids, including blowing a 4-0 lead against the winless San Jose Sharks in the third period. They currently hold a 6-6-3 record, good for fourth in the Central Division.
Related: Utah HC Sending Josh Doan to the AHL Was the Right Move
For a team just getting out of a complete rebuild, it’s expected to have some bumps in the road, and it’s probably better they happen sooner than later so they can be resolved quickly.
In today’s edition of the Utah Buzz, we will take a deep dive, looking back at the blockbuster Mikhail Sergachev trade, which sent Conor Geekie and J.J. Moser to the Tampa Lightning. We will also look at the future of 2024 first-rounder Tij Iginla and his red-hot start in the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Looking Back at the Blockbuster Sergachev & Geekie Trade
After the first round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Utah had taken forwards with both of their first-round picks and suddenly, the team was in desperate need of a defenseman. While many thought this would come in the form of a draft selection (eventually it did), general manager Bill Armstrong and company made a swing for the fences trading for Sergachev, a two-time Stanley Cup champion from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
So far, it’s been a mixed bag for both teams, but it’s interesting to look at the return on investment. Armstrong is hoping Sergachev becomes the future on the blue line, as compared to the Lightning, who are merely hoping Moser can become a top-four defenseman. Through the early portions of the season, Sergachev has two goals and 10 points in 15 games, and Moser has two goals and six points in 14 games.
Geekie, on the other hand, has struggled in his rookie season, only putting three points on the board through 14 games. Of course, it’s way too early to judge this massive trade for both teams, but so far, the teams are getting what they asked for in return, with a couple of bumps along the way.
Tij Iginla Off to Hot Start in WHL
Hinted in the segment above, when Utah took Iginla and Cole Beaudoin in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, it was assumed there were more moves to come, and there were. Many, in fact, had projected Utah to take a swing on a defenseman with the sixth pick. Players like Sam Dickinson, Carter Yakemchuk, and Zeev Buium were commonly mentioned. Despite the outside noise, they opted to take the son of Jarome Iginla — Tij Iginla — heading to the 801.
Iginla, to this point, is having massive success in the WHL after being injured for the majority of training camp with Utah, with nine goals and 17 points in 10 games for the Kelowna Rockets. Much like last season, he is growing more each game and showcasing why he was taken sixth overall.
Iginla is expected to jump to the NHL within the next season or two, but don’t be surprised if he’s up sooner than later.
Utah Slowing Down After Steaming Start, But No Reason to Panic
As mentioned in the introduction, it’s clear as day that the Utah Hockey Club has slowed down a bit after the hot start of their inaugural season, but a lot of that has to do with the circumstances. Sean Durzi and John Marino are hurt, and a few players are underperforming, but that’s pretty normal for the beginning of the season. Their trade with the Detroit Red Wings for defenseman Olli Määttä helped shore up the blue line for the time being, but it was certainly not a long-term fix. Nonetheless, Utah is on the right track with the right pieces in the right places.
