LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 28: Cole Beaudoin is selected by the Utah Hockey Club with the 24th overall pick during the first round of the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Sphere on June 28, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Hockey Club was very active at the franchise’s first-ever NHL Draft, making 11 selections and three trades.
The 62nd NHL Draft was held at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada from June 28-29.
Utah entered the draft with 13 picks, including No. 6 overall in the first round.
UTAH! We’re on the clock ⏰ pic.twitter.com/QCzdPp7S7w
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 28, 2024
The Utah Hockey Club owned the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and made a selection that many weren’t expecting.
Instead of opting for one of multiple quality defensemen on the board, Utah drafted star WHL forward Tij Iginla.
Iginla is the son of NHL Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla.
RELATED: Utah Hockey Club Selects Tij Iginla With No. 6 Overall Pick In 2024 NHL Draft
.@RyanQualtrics and Ashley Smith announce the first draft pick in @utahhockeyclub history, Tij Iginla.#UtahHC #NHLDraft #NHL pic.twitter.com/5aQD5uzyW4
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 28, 2024
They weren’t done there though.
Later in the first round, Utah HC traded with Colorado and received the No. 24 pick in exchange for the No. 38 pick, No. 71 pick, and a Rangers second-round pick in 2025.
With the 24th pick, Utah selected OHL center Cole Beaudoin.
RELATED: Utah Hockey Club Trades Up To No. 24 In Draft, Selects Cole Beaudoin
🚨Trade Alert 🚨
We have traded picks 38 & 71 and a 2025 second round pick with Colorado in return for the 24th pick. pic.twitter.com/4HiCXPKqVL
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 29, 2024
Going into the draft, Utah owned three picks in the second round.
They traded away the first pick to Colorado in round one. Then, the club traded the No. 49 overall pick to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for John Marino.
RELATED: Utah HC Trades No. 49 Pick To New Jersey Devils For John MarinoV
🚨 TRADE 🚨
We have acquired John Marino and pick 153 in return for pick 49 and a 2025 2nd round pick.#UtahHC pic.twitter.com/WdcMjdEuXd
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 29, 2024
In potentially the move of the draft, Utah traded away Conor Geekie, J.J. Moser, the 199th overall pick, and a 2025 second-round pick for star defenseman Mikhail Sergachev.
RELATED: Utah Hockey Club Trades For Mikhail Sergachev During 2024 NHL Draft
🚨TRADE 🚨
We have acquired Mikhail Sergachev in return for J.J. Moser, Conor Geekie and draft picks.#UtahHC pic.twitter.com/lbaA7mtrrz
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 29, 2024
Utah closed out a hectic second round by drafting Boston College standout Will Skahan with the No. 65 overall pick.
RELATED: Utah HC Selects Will Skahan With No. 65 Overall Pick In 2024 NHL Draft
With the 65th pick, the Utah Hockey Club selects Will Skahan 🩵 #UtahHC | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/N2hC7SYPMk
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 29, 2024
The Utah Hockey Club made two selections in the third round.
First, they drafted QMJHL standout Tomas Lavoie with the No. 89 overall pick.
RELATED: Utah Hockey Club Selects Tomas Lavoie With No. 89 Overall Pick In 2024 NHL Draft
With the 89th pick, the Utah Hockey Club selects Tomas Lavoie 🩵 #UtahHC | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/UsWIUsyG4f
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 29, 2024
Utah opted for more defense with their next pick.
At No. 96, Utah selected Finland’s Veeti Väisänen.
RELATED: Utah HC Selects Veeti Väisänen With No. 96 Overall Pick In 2024 NHL Draft
To close out the draft, Utah owned two picks in every round except for the seventh.
With the No. 98 pick in the fourth round, Utah selected Austrian defenseman Gregor Biber.
RELATED: Utah Hockey Club Selects Gregor Biber With No. 98 Overall Pick In 2024 NHL Draft
With the 98th pick, the Utah Hockey Club selects Gregor Biber 🩵 #UtahHC | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/gn96nRSv00
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 29, 2024
Five picks later, they selected QMJHL forward Gabe Smith with the 103rd overall pick.
RELATED: Utah HC Selects Gabe Smith With No. 103 Overall Pick In 2024 NHL Draft
With the 103rd pick, the Utah Hockey Club selects Gabe Smith 🩵#NHLDraft | #UtahHC pic.twitter.com/tAlC4z8DZ0
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 29, 2024
When the fifth round came about, the trend of switching between forwards and defensemen continued.
With the 135th pick, Utah selected Ontario forward Owen Allard.
RELATED: Utah Hockey Club Selects Owen Allard With No. 135 Overall Pick In 2024 NHL Draft
With the 135th pick, the Utah Hockey Club selects Owen Allard 🩵 #NHLDraft | #UtahHC pic.twitter.com/9kC1LixYqU
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 29, 2024
Near the end of the round, Utah selected Czechia defenseman Ales Cech with the No. 153 overall pick.
RELATED: Utah HC Selects Ales Cech With No. 153 Overall Pick In 2024 NHL Draft
With the 153rd pick, the Utah Hockey Club selects Ales Cech 🩵 #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/TueSvqUmaE
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 29, 2024
Finally, the sixth round came and went which signified the end of the Utah Hockey Club’s first-ever draft.
With the 167th overall pick, Utah selected Czechia forward Vojtech Hradec.
RELATED: Utah HC Selects Vojtech Hradec With No. 167 Overall Pick In 2024 NHL Draft
With the 165th pick, the Utah Hockey Club selects Vojtech Hradec 🩵 #UtahHC | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/KwxaD00Quv
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) June 29, 2024
Just before the seventh round started, Utah made its final selection.
With the 190th pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, the Utah Hockey Club selected Norweigan defenseman Ludvig Lafton.
RELATED: Utah HC Selects Ludvig Lafton With No. 190 Overall Pick In 2024 NHL Draft
Chandler Holt is a co-host of the Jazz Notes podcast, a Locals In The NFL Insider, and Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com. Follow Chandler on Twitter @ChandlerHoltKSL or on Threads @chandlerho1t.
