Attached image: Utah HC Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev addresses the media in exit interviews held at Delta Center on April 17th
Utah Hockey Club Players & Management High On New Home
By Tom Walker
The Utah HC Organization reciprocated the love of their fans during inaugural season exit interviews.
SALT LAKE CITY–A whirlwind year for players, coaches, staff, and management of the Utah Hockey Club came to an end earlier this month as their inaugural season in Salt Lake City came to a close, unable to secure the final wildcard spot in the playoffs, 7 points back of the St. Louis Blues.
Barely a year ago, the team was wrapping up what would be its final season as the Arizona Coyotes, playing in a college arena in front of the smallest crowds in the National Hockey League. As the 2023-2024 season drew to a close, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the team had been sold to the Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) and would relocate to Salt Lake City in a matter of months.
Ryan and Ashley Smith flew down to Phoenix to meet with the players and reassure them about the move which would change their lives. No sooner did the Coyotes thank their fans for their years of support since relocating to the desert from Winnipeg, the group was on a plane to Salt Lake City where they were greeted at the airport by throngs of youth hockey players before heading to their new home at the Delta Center where a packed house cheered their arrival at a welcome pep rally.
Fans continued to pack Delta Center in September when the pre-season began with home wins against the Blues, Kings, and Avalanche. Utah Hockey Club made its official regular season debut on October 8 with a convincing 5-2 victory over the visiting Chicago Blackhawks.
Over the following six months, the team would compile an inaugural season record of 38-31-13 (18-15-8 at home; 20-16-5 on the road), finishing in sixth place in the Central Division. Utah would go on to sell out every home game, plus additional obstructed view seating which was made available at bargain prices, along with many discounted food items, to attract new audiences to the sport.
During exit interviews, players discussed lessons learned, their offseason plans, training, travel, the World Cup, their thoughts about a new team name, and in some cases their own free agency or possible retirement.
One thing they universally had in common was their love and appreciation for Utah, the fans and community, and the SEG organization which made this first year a memorable one. The Utah Office of Tourism and the Utah Association of Realtors might want to hit some of these guys up for advertising.
Unrestricted free agent forward Nick Bjugstad was first to address the media, and his comments set the stage for a recurring theme among his teammates. “I love the city, I love the people in the organization, [they’ve] kind of given us something we never would have expected two years ago or a year ago, so this has been an incredible experience,” Bjugstad began. “When I moved in, there were more cookies and bread and candy than I’ve ever seen. My girls were loving it. The welcoming factor in the neighborhood, in the city was there. Our neighbor threw a welcome party for us and expected to feed 20 people, maybe, and there were like 70, 80 people, so it just kind of showed how tight knit the neighborhood was and the community is here, so yeah, I was really impressed. And as far as the fan base, seeing the growth of interest with the people here is pretty cool, especially not having an NHL team previously.”
Bjugstad gave an example of the fans coming up to speed about hockey. “I told this story a few days ago, Sergachev made a defensive play that was a nice play, but nothing out of the ordinary, but the fans – I’ve never seen a fan reaction on how much they appreciated a defensive play in any arena, whether in Canada or a bigger market anywhere, I’ve never seen a reaction like that. I didn’t really know what to expect coming here, but it exceeded what we were expecting coming in, so it’s been a pleasure.”
When asked his thoughts about Utah’s potential attractiveness to free agents, Bjugstad first cracked a joke, “Well, I’m a free agent so it sucks here! I’m not going to give too much of a pitch here.” But then he added, “I’ve been on a lot of different teams, so I’ve gotten to see different markets, different owners, and this is the best I’ve been treated as a player, as a team, as whole families, so that’s probably the number one, and then you talk about the city, the people, the vibe around here is something exciting to be part of. … It’s a great spot for players and for myself with a family I thought it was a great fit.”
Forward Barrett Hayton had this to say: “I didn’t really know a lot about Utah coming in. From our first experience coming last Spring, it’s just been unbelievable. Obviously it’s a beautiful place with mountains and everything, but I think it’s the people that make it special. We felt that from that first visit, the passion and pride and community. The arena’s been unbelievable all year, the feel in the community, it’s been special.”
Kevin Stenlund, a forward from Sweden who becomes a free agent after next season, said, “I think the fans have been awesome. It’s been a really fun year for me. I’ve enjoyed every bit of it.”
Defenseman Sean Durzi, who is locked up for the next three seasons, raved about his neighbors. “I bought a house here and my neighborhood was pretty welcoming right away. I’ve been getting gifts, dinners, all that stuff brought to the door and just can’t believe how nice the people have been here – unbelievably kind people. As players on the team you want to make it home as quick as you can, and the community only helped us to do that.
Durzi had this to say about luring free agents to his club. “When you’re talking about a destination spot, you look at where your organization’s at. You look at so many different factors, and one thing I don’t think you’re going to have to worry about is how well the organization has handled things and treats us, and then you look at the group and the direction we’re heading in, it’s gotta be a destination. I can’t say enough good things, from top to bottom, what this organization has done for myself and for the guys, and when you have that backing you can focus on what you’re doing on the ice, there’s no other distractions. It’s so important. It’s all you can ask for as a player. It’ll be a destination for sure.”
Fan favorite Liam O’Brien, who often goes by the nickname “Spicy Tuna,” finished the season on the injured list. He was asked by one reporter to describe the relationship that was created between the team, the organization, and the fan base so quickly. “I think it’s pretty amazing,” O’Brien said. “The fan base we have already and how much they love the game, but I think we’ve made so many new hockey fans which is really cool to see. There’s a lot of people I talk to in the city that have come up to me and said, ‘Hey, I’ve never watched hockey and I went to a game and now I’m addicted,’ and so I think as a player it’s really cool to see people that didn’t know the game, just fall in love that quickly.”
Another reporter asked O’Brien if he gets recognized a lot. “I do. I think it has a lot to do with the beard and the hair. There’s not many times I go in public and someone doesn’t come up and say hello. People have been really good to me here. I was at the zoo the other day and I had a couple of people would just come up and ask for pictures. Everyone’s kind. … I’m only gonna be this guy for so long, and I just appreciate the love from our fans, and I’m sure all the other guys do too as well.”
When asked about life away from the rink and what things have helped his family settle, O’Brien responded, “It’s such a great city to have a family. My wife and my daughter really enjoy it. … It’s been great and I think there’s so much to do, too, with the kids in this area as well, so we really appreciate that. … We’ve got four or five guys with kids all within maybe six months of each other.”
Jack McBain, a restricted free agent forward, echoed his teammates comments. “It’s been a fun season. I think coming to Utah we didn’t really know exactly what to expect or feel, but it’s been a lot of fun here.” With regard to the question of attracting free agents to Utah, McBain said, “I think the way you get treated here is probably top in the league. … The treatment top-down is unbelievable, and living in Utah is amazing. I think we got a really good group moving forward that can do a lot of really good things, so obviously it’s a place that guys hopefully want to play, and I want to play. It’s a great spot for hockey.”
Free agent forward Michael Carcone, who already knows he will not return to the club next season, still had positive things to say about playing during the inaugural season in Utah. “It’s something I can tell my kids was special. You know, Ryan (Smith), Ashley (Smith), Chris Armstrong, they did such a great job with this team.”
During breaks between players entering the press room for interviews, members of the media passed the time discussing their own thoughts about how the league handles the annual draft, how points should be allocated for overtime/shootout wins and losses, and some of the unique attributes of Utah such as the state’s fierce devotion to something called “fry sauce,” a condiment consisting primarily of tomato ketchup and mayonnaise, with various burger restaurants putting their spin on it. Logan Cooley, a 20-year-old forward originally from Pittsburgh, had the misfortune of walking into the press room as this topic was being discussed, and a reporter from local media outlet KSL couldn’t resist kicking things off asking him his opinion. At first, Cooley seemed to indicate that he knew, but it turned out he was thinking of Chick-fil-A sauce, which led Deseret News reporter Brogan Houston to post on X, “Of all the news scoops we’ve gotten at #UtahHC exit interviews today, this might be the biggest: Logan Cooley has lived in Utah nearly a year and he doesn’t know what fry sauce is. This needs to be a top priority when he comes back in the fall.” Houston later added in an article, “This is a call to local fast food restaurant owners: When Cooley gets back to Utah in the fall, get him some fry sauce.”
Once we were past that moment of local cultural significance, the media got around to asking Cooley about his first year impressions. “Right when we got here in the summer last year, the whole ceremony of welcoming us and the whole place is sold out and you could feel the excitement right away, and the first game was just unbelievable. Such a great experience this year and I’m very thankful to be a part of this.” Cooley continued, “Neighbors have been great. Honestly, I thought it was gonna snow a lot more here, so it was nice to kind of have a mild winter. Overall it’s obviously a great experience, a great first year, and excited to get back going here.”
Asked about Utah as a free agent destination, Cooley added, “Just from seeing on the internet when guys ask other players questions, you hear a lot of talk about the ownership and what they’re willing to do to give us a chance to succeed here. So I think just starting from the ownership and what they have done in such a short time, it’s super special to be a part of, and I think that [makes] players want to play here and play for this ownership.”
Next up was rising star 22-year-old Dylan Guenther, who scored Utah’s franchise first goal on opening night against Chicago. Guenther recalled, “I remember coming into training camp and coming to Utah for the first time and just not really knowing what to expect, so the people, the fans, the ownership, the support has all been unbelievable, and its just a really fun place to play and I’m excited to come back next year.” When asked the question about free agents, Guenther said, “The impact of the city and how much people care. The building’s sold out every night. We’re losing by three or four some games, and people are still there. I think that says a lot, that’s not normal. I think the ownership group is unbelievable, everything’s first class, our new practice facility is crazy nice, and the players they want to be here and they want to play here and they want to win in Utah.”
Czech netminder Karel Vejmelka began the season as the back-up goalie to Connor Ingram. When Ingram reentered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, Vejmelka was thrust into the spotlight with 23 consecutive starts during which he went 13-6-4, keeping Utah’s playoff hopes alive, and earning the team’s inaugural MVP award. Veggie, as he has come to be called, told the media, “I love the nature here, I love Utah. It’s really easy to live here and I really like to spend some time outside when I have a day off. … The community and the hockey fans are great. We couldn’t ask for a better organization as a brand new team, so it’s just fun to play here and to live.”
Defenseman Michael Kesselring summed up his thoughts, “I gotta give it to the ownership group here. It was really fun being a part of this first season and going to the Jazz games and getting to experience Utah and all the new restaurants and living in a new place again. I’ve moved around a lot for the past few years, but it is a great place to live, and like I said, a great group of guys. The ownership group did a great job, and looking forward to the new practice facility, it’s an exciting time to be here.”
Josh Doan, a 23-year-old forward from Scottsdale, Arizona, has perhaps the most interesting backstory of anyone on the team. His father, Shane, played for the Winnipeg Jets when the team first relocated to Phoenix where he would spend the rest of his career from 1996-2017, retiring as the all-time franchise leader in goals(402) and points (972).
Doan reflected on his father during exit interview comments. “Obviously when you’re in Arizona the family name comes up a lot with who he was, and who he is, and that’s something that as a kid growing up with it wasn’t too much just because of the way he handled it and the way he kind of raised us, but it is nice to start your own thing and be a part of something new and be able to kind of trailblaze your own career in a way, and I think our careers up to this point were completely different with our route to get to pro, but when it all tied back together in Arizona then you got to see coming into being a similarity, and it is nice to kind of start your own thing.”
With regard to Utahns coming to connect Josh with the Doan name rather than his famous father. “It’s a cool thing to hear that and be talking in that way rather than be kind of Shane’s son, which is what a lot of us have been in my family for a while, which there’s nothing wrong with that. We enjoy being talked about in the same conversation as him, but to kind of start your own thing has been super cool.”
As for Utah itself, Doan said, “I’ve loved it so far here. It’s become a second home to me, and that’s something I talked to my whole family about, the process of leaving where you are and going to a new city, and that city becoming somewhere that you really grow fond of, so I think it’s been great this year. Arizona’s still home in the summertime, but throughout the wintertime it’s nice to come here and it’s been great for me and all the other guys and we’ve really loved it.”
It was bittersweet exit interview with defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, an unrestricted free agent who is considering retirement. Asked about being part of a team’s inaugural season in what might be his final season before retirement, Bortuzzo said, “Super cool. I feel like if I do stop playing I’m the first alumni. Obviously it’s a special year. I’m obviously thankful to the organization for letting me be a part of it. They’re in a great place fanwise. I was blown away by the reception of being in that rink, and the fans and the passion, and I think it’s only going to explode in this area, and youth hockey will get bigger, and you’ve got a great team here, so that’s gotta be a good feeling for the city and the organization. … It was a special season in my eyes.”
Defenseman Ian Cole, who has one year remaining on his contract, addressed his perspective of playing in Utah, the family environment, and luring potential free agents. “I think it depends on the personality of the player. Some guys want big market New York, L.A., big city. I think for the right person with the right mindset, this could be an amazing place. I know I love it. It’s an amazing place to live, it’s an amazing place to play, and our fans have been fantastic, and I think once people start to realize that there’s going to be a lot of people who want to play here. … I think you would have been hard pressed to come to a game or see the fan support, and then [be] like, ‘oh, this is the first time there’s been an NHL team.’ The fans have been awesome. The hockey culture has been fantastic. The knowledge for the game has grown exponentially. There are so many great first steps, early steps growing a culture here. … I don’t think I can say enough great things about how we were welcomed and how were were embraced from the fans and the city. … I feel like [Utah] is very family oriented. There’s trampoline parks and play places, and a ton of fun stuff. I think Bjugy’s daughter’s having a birthday party at the trampoline park later today, so that’ll be a ton of fun and I think that it’s something that kids love and there’s so many options, … so it’s a great place to raise a family for sure.”
Utah’s first captain and Missouri native, Clayton Keller, commented, “Just from the support from day one, you could tell how excited people were to have a hockey team. People that I see in the community, just around town, they’re all so excited for hockey, for all of us players, it’s a special feeling. I love my house here, it’s super nice and quiet and relaxing, and it’s still kind of got the Arizona feel with the mountains, and there’s some snow which is nice to see. I haven’t really lived in a cold climate in a while, and I like it.”
Veteran forward Lawson Crouse provided additional insight into the early moments of the transition from Arizona to Utah. “When we had that meeting, Ryan and his wife they came in and they pulled up a chair, like you guys [in the media] are sitting in, and we just had an honest conversation. He said, ‘Just trust us. You’re coming to a great spot with a great community feel,’ and I think that’s the biggest thing. At the end of the day, we are hockey players but we can’t do it without the community. The fans all season have been tremendous. Every time we step out onto the ice it’s the loudest rink in the league when we play. I have friends throughout the league that say when they play here it’s a lot of fun to play here, and for us players here we don’t take it for granted, that energy that they bring really push us forward and the love and support that we got from them all season, I can’t wait to see where that goes in the future.”
Lawson’s pitch to potential free agents, “It’s top notch, and I think that was made clear early on here. Everything that we’ve gone through, we talked about moving here and how difficult that was. Everything has been so top notch. I think when you take a look at our team, where we’re headed, the abilities and the skills that we have, that this is going to be a top place to play in the league. We’ve got the new practice facility coming next year that’s gonna be the best in the league. It’s gonna be crazy. Obviously the fans with that energy they play a huge part in that. When you have a passionate fan group, that it motivates you each and every night to come out and you want to win for them.”
Concluding his remarks, Lawson gave his soundbite for the real estate agents. “I love waking up to the mountains every day. I find a sense of calming in that. Obviously we get a lot of sun here which is huge outside of the rink, and it’s just so beautiful when you drive around here, it’s a beautiful place. People are so friendly, and I couldn’t think of a better spot to raise my daughter here.”
Utah forward Nick Schmaltz was succinct in his first year evaluation. “It’s been good. The hockey’s been great. The ownership is awesome to us. That new practice facility is pretty sweet. Nothing but good things to say, it’s been a lot of fun and the games here have been great, the fans are awesome.”
Alexander Kerfoot, who has one year remaining on his contract, had this to say. “I think it was an awesome experience and opportunity to be a part of the first season in Utah and the way that the city and organization rallied around this team was awesome and a great experience. Lots of fun to be part of. … We’re building a lot of good things here. It’s an exciting time to be a part of this team and a part of this organization, and by no means are we satisfied with how this season ended. We know that we gotta push this thing forward, and we’re excited for the future. … I think that this organization and city has been great. We’ve loved our experience here so far, we wanted to stick around. I think that the trajectory that this team is on right now is something that we want to be a part of. I want to be on a team that’s trending in the right direction, and I think that the future here is really bright, and we want to be a part of that.
Wrapping things up for the player interviews, perhaps Utah’s greatest off-season acquisition, Russian defenseman Mikhail Sergachev who won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021 laid it out simply: “It’s my home.” Just how much does he consider Utah to be home? “I just like how we’re improving as a group, how our fans are improving, how management is improving, and it’s exciting for me. We’re not standing still, we’re moving forward, and that’s very exciting. Utah is my home now. I could live here after I’m retired. I love this place. People are very nice. It’s great.”
Sergachev also believes top free agents could be attracted to the Beehive State. He elaborated, “I spent some time in Montreal a little bit when I was younger, spent a lot of time in Tampa, and here now. Especially the guys who have families, I think this is the place to be. I haven‘t seen anything better yet. Just from the organization, this is the best organization that I’ve played for. It’s from top to bottom, everybody’s worried about us. They want us to be in the best place possible. They want us to play hockey and just not worry about anything else, so everything is taken care of, and I really appreciate that. As a player it just means so much to me that I can just go and focus on my craft and play, and my family’s taken care of. They don’t have to worry about anything, especially when I’m gone on the road. They’re safe, and everything is great. I love it here.”
A few days later it was the turn of Head Coach André Tourigny, President of Hockey Operations Chris Armstrong, and General Manager Bill Armstrong (no relation) to put the finishing touches on year one.
Before any questions were asked, Tourigny, affectionately known as “Bear,” began as he often does with a statement. “There’s three things for me, the coaches, we’re really grateful. First thing is our fans. I think the way they supported us all year long, the enthusiasm in the arena, the love we got on and off the ice, everywhere, the way they welcome us in Utah – people of Utah – the way they did it, we’re so grateful for it. They made it easy. They made it exciting. We wanted to perform for them. And I think we create that connection – it was magical. That’s one. Two, we’re grateful for our ownership. Ryan and Ashley, the way they treated us and they provide for us and the environment they create and the value they push inside of our organization, it’s been awesome so we’re really grateful for them to be with us and to support us all the time. And the third one … is our players, the way they fought, the way they progressed. Every time they put their mind at something, they really dig in to improve and they were resilient, they were connected, they were engaged, they were disciplined – what we have to do to get better – and they really got better, so I’m really grateful for their effort, their commitment, their enthusiasm, the way they embraced the community in Utah – that was amazing. So for those things, I’m really, really grateful.”
In speaking of the community, Tourigny continued, “What impressed me most are the people. Everywhere I go, from the restaurant, from everywhere in the crowd, even when I was coming in the Jazz game, it’s not necessarily the same fans, but people were talking about how much they embrace hockey, they didn’t know hockey and now they love the game, they love the team, and they love to come to the game. You never know, you’re going in a new city, people were talking about the culture of hockey, it’s not the same – we didn’t feel that at all. We didn’t feel we were kind of unknown or whatever, we really feel the people embrace our team and how excited they were. When you go somewhere and you feel people want you, that makes you feel really damn good. It’s tough to not get up, get out of your bed and not be excited, you’re excited, let’s get better today, let’s get at it, and I think that’s a credit to the people I just mentioned before, from our players to our ownership, but especially the fans.”
Chris Armstrong likewise preceded any questions with some reflections. “I want to recognize Ryan and Ashley Smith and our ownership group for their unbelievable support and resources in this inaugural season. Not only to give us the ability to stand up this operation in record time, but to do it to the standard that we all expect and know is going to produce a winning franchise. The other element of it is you saw them at every game, whether it was Jazz or Utah Hockey Club, front row, supporting our staff, supporting our players. That’s extremely energizing from an athlete perspective to see ownership that invested and committed. And this was a whirlwind for them as well, taking on this project and all of the additional nights in the building, and they did it with tremendous enthusiasm, and support and encouragement, and we are very grateful to them for that as we are to every member of the organization at SEG whose selfless hard work made all of it possible.”
Armstrong continued, “I can’t go further without acknowledging and thanking our fans. Our fans, the community, our partners, the energy and support that had been shown to us since day one. Extremely motivating. Extremely energizing. We felt it. We felt that energy, we felt that passion, and it carried on throughout the year. We were welcomed with open arms. We were made to feel like Utah was our home right from the very beginning, and we’re all proud to call it our home now. We’re excited to continue to pay that back and pay that forward to our fans, to be great stewards in this community, to be great leaders in this community, and to give back in every way that we possibly can to inspire the next generation of kids to choose this amazing game that we’re all fortunate to work in.”
Anticipating that he would be asked about the status of giving the team a name, Armstrong called himself “The bearer of disappointing news” and went on to say, “I’m not in a position to give you much of an update today on the naming of the team. I know that’s a topic of great interest. We’re thrilled to have engaged our fans at what we think is a pretty unprecedented level. We’re definitely in the home stretch and on track to announce that in the coming months here, but not much more I can say about it today.”
Armstrong expressed pride in the way the club connected with the community during its first year. “ I think it was an extraordinary thing to be a part of and to experience and to feel the energy in the building every night – was extraordinary and exceptional. Opening night, even if you go back to the welcome event with the players, very few of us have had the opportunity in careers in professional sports, regardless of the sport, to be in an environment like that where you felt that pride for the team, pride for Utah, and it translated throughout the season as a real rallying point for our team. The gravitas, the magnitude of what we were creating for the people of Utah, is a great responsibility that we take very seriously, and I that’s probably the thing I’m most proud of to see how we’ve connected in the community when you’re out and about and people tell you how much the team means to them or how they’ve connected with one of their kids by going to Utah Hockey Club games, and that’s transformed their relationship they have in their household. Those are the things that we do it for. That’s really what it’s all about at the end of the day, and the best way to inspire is to win, and obviously that’s our goal, but when you get a chance to feel what the team means to people that’s a pretty special part of the job for sure.”
When it came to the inevitable question of attracting free agents, Armstrong said, “I think very attractive, and I think our players are the best ambassadors and advocates of that, and their exit interviews on Thursday of last week spoke volumes about their experience here and how much they view it as a destination and a great place to raise a family, to work on their craft, and to be part of a winning organization. Your players are always gonna be your best advocates. Hopefully they all go home to their non-Utah homes this offseason and spread the word.”
Armstrong talked about a year of “firsts” and engaging with youth. “To be part of any firsts is an extraordinary experience, and this was a season in a year of firsts. Every corner you turned was a new first, so I feel very grateful for that. … We’ve had over 10,000 kids touch our youth programming this year. … We’ve had everyone from our broadcast team to players out in the Learn To Play events in the community. We’ve had, I think, 600 kids go through Learn To Play. So everybody, our players, our staff, our broadcast team – everybody’s leaned in to that mission of growing the game at the grassroots level, and we’re just getting started.”
Putting a bow on his overall comments, Armstrong concluded, “We talk about this being a hybrid of expansion and relocation. The reality is instead of an expansion draft, we acquired an entire roster of players, a coaching staff, and a front office. That culture already existed with that group, and that group itself had been through a lot that really brought them together and created close connections and close bonds which was very similar to what already existed here at SEG with the all-in mentality that exists here. So I think it was a very seamless melding of a culture that had already started to be built that we were fortunate to acquire, and the culture that already existed here that we’ve been able to contribute positively to, and also learn a lot from, from top to bottom in the organization.”
Bill Armstrong was particularly moved by the noise in the building which fans brought night after night. He commented, “I went to the World Championships last year, and there was a game that was played in Riga, Latvia, and Latvia played Sweden and it was a brand new building. And it was the loudest building I’ve ever been in my life, and I actually videoed it and I said, ‘This is one of my goals, is to be in something like this.’ And there we were, opening night, and it was just as loud. It was like we had been around for ten years. Credit to the people on the business side. Chris did an amazing job at getting everything dialed in and detailed, and it was so loud in there, I said, ‘Hey, we’re here, right now. This is what you wished for, and here it is.’ The experience for myself, my family, my wife, it’s been incredible in Utah. Our neighborhood, the kids. We went to the grocery store the other day, and a lady was petting our dogs and we were walking and she found out that we were with the hockey club, and she couldn’t thank us enough, ‘Thank you for coming!’ I can’t express the gratitude we have for our fans and the people of Utah. It has been a special one year for us.”
Though the season ended earlier than anyone wanted, there will be little time for rest. Sometime in May the NHL will hold its draft lottery for the 16 teams which failed to make the playoffs. The first round of the draft will take place on Friday, June 27, with the remaining rounds falling on Saturday, June 28. Free agency begins on Tuesday, July 1. And sometime between now and then, Utah Hockey Club is expected to announce its name. Fans who were interviewed seemed to prefer “Mammoth” to “Outlaws,” but if Utah HC already knows the answer, they are much better at controlling leaks than government.
Tom Walker is a Utah Hockey Club beat writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
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