General manager Bill Armstrong of the yet to be named NHL Utah hockey team speaks during a news conference at the Delta Center on April 24, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The NHL has allowed the sale of the Arizona Coyotes and the team will relocate to Salt Lake City, Utah.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The very first NHL trade deadline has now come and gone for the Utah Hockey Club amidst their inaugural season. Following a mostly quiet day of deals for Utah, General Manager Bill Armstrong addressed the club’s approach and how they handled the final hours of the deadline.
One minor deal for #UtahHC today.
Clearing out $7.8 million of cap space for next year by trading Shea Webers contract
Utah acquires:
Chicagos 2026 fifth round draft choice #blackhawks acquire:
Shea Weber’s contract
Rights to defenseman Victor Soderstrom
Forward Aku Raty— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 7, 2025
Can we start with the Shea Weber deal?
Bill Armstrong: “A little bit of housekeeping on our end. I think it helps us be able to accumulate some cap space next year and tied up a few loose ends too…We were able get that done and get that accomplished now instead of waiting till the draft.”
Was it the plan to have a conservative approach at the deadline?
Bill Armstrong: “We did a lot of stuff in the summer. If you think about the acquisitions of Marino, Sergachev, and Stenlund…Our team down the stretch here is 7-3 so we’re moving in the right direction, and you don’t want to break up that chemistry. You want to let everybody fight.”
“If there was a deal out there that put us over the edge with a dynamic player…we were all in. But we want to move very smartly. Very planned & very calculated…I like where our group is at…We’re going on the ice with what we know works.”
With the extensions, were those cases of these guys are either going to stay in Utah for next year or we’re going to ship them out at the deadline?
Bill Armstrong: “We really like them. They’re really a piece of our fabric, our culture. They’re really easy guys to like because of their play on the ice, but also helping our culture grow and become a winning organization; a playoff organization; an organization that can take a step toward winning a championship.”
“Veggie was a huge one for us…the way he plays. He saved our season. He’s come in there and just done an amazing job. He comes to work every single day. He’s great around his teammates…So that was a big one for us.”
How many steps forward has the team taken in terms of the rebuild this year?
Bill Armstrong: “We’ve taken good steps. I like the way our team plays. I think there’s been some learning lessons along the way.”
“There’s a lot of pain you have to go through to make the next step…we’re getting there. We’re in the fight. We’re right where we are supposed to be…there’s 20 game sevens left for us to play. It’s on, definitely.”
How do you view Maccelli’s development in Utah?
Bill Armstrong: “There are players every year on your team that have down years. That’s part of the cycle.”
“Matias is a good player. He’s found himself in a little bit of a rut here…You have to stay positive. Even though it’s a down year, he’s got to come back. He’s got to find a way to help us win down the stretch when it’s his turn up.”
Have you given any thought to Logan Cooley’s upcoming extension?
Bill Armstrong: “We’ll deal with that as we get there. But that’s a good problem to have.”
“He’s doing a heck of a job for a young player…He’s a huge impact player for us…We’ll deal with the contract in the summer.”
The Utah Hockey Club will now face the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night at United Center. The game can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
