The Utah Hockey Club has acquired defenseman John Marino and the 153rd pick in the 2024 NHL Draft from the New Jersey Devils for the 49th pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a 2025 2nd-round pick that originally belonged to the Edmonton Oilers. New Jersey selected goaltender Mikhail Yegorov at the 49th pick.
Heading into the day, Utah had zero defensemen signed to the NHL roster for next season. After acquiring Mikhail Sergachev, they added Marino who is a right-handed defenseman. Marino had four goals and 25 points in 75 games for New Jersey last season while providing above-average defense. He is 6-foot-1 and signed at $4.4 million annually for the next three seasons.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Guide
The Devils move on from Marino, a regular in their top four from last season. This move is likely a precursor to another move, potentially signed free agent defenseman Brett Pesce on Monday (July 1). The selection of Yegorov is an exciting one, as he is a 6-foot-5 goaltender who is committed to Boston University. He is just 18 years old, but the future looks bright for the youngster.
