How did Utah do? Deseret News

Bill Armstrong knew he had a good hand in Vegas.

The general manager of the Utah Hockey Club came into the 2024 NHL Draft with one first-round selection (No. 6 overall) and another 12 the next day. He left with an elite defenseman, two first-round prospects, an experienced defenseman and another nine selections who add depth to the defense and center positions.

We attacked the draft, Armstrong said Friday after selecting Tij Iginla with the No. 6 overall pick and trading up in the first round to take Cole Beaudoin. We have assets. If you see guys you don't like but you love, if you can reach them, you should try.

The next morning, he traded a star to the Tampa Bay Lightning for two-time Stanley Cup champion Mikhail Sergachev.

Utah knew it was making history when it selected the first-ever draft pick in franchise history, but making the team better took some work.

Here's a look back at Utah's first foray into the NHL Draft and ahead to the impending free agent signing period.

Utah Hockey Club impresses with its first version

Early Saturday morning, the trading alarm sounded through the Sphere in Las Vegas and there was an audible sigh of relief in the crowd when news broke that Sergachev had been sent to Utah.

Mikhail Sergachev is a proven winner and point producer and has long been one of the best shut-down defensemen in the NHL, Armstrong said. Mikhail is a top two-way NHL defenseman, and you can't win in this league without a star, elite defenseman. We are excited to welcome Mikhail to our organization and look forward to many years ahead with him leading our blueline.

Chris Armstrong, president of hockey operations at Utah, added: Bringing in one of the best defensemen in the NHL and a two-time Stanley Cup champion demonstrates our commitment to our fans and to our team that we will take the necessary steps to drive this organization toward its potential.

Sergachev comes at a price. Utah gave up a top prospect in Conor Geekie, 19, who was ranked by The Athletic as the organization no. 4 general outlookand defenseman JJ Moser, who played 162 games for Arizona over the past two seasons.

The acquisition of John Marino via trade from the New Jersey Devils, a transaction announced shortly after the Sergachev deal, will help fill an immediate need. Ryan Jankowski, associate director of amateur scouting, said trading Beaudoin (who Bill Armstrong says has a work ethic that could change the culture of our organization) softens the blow of losing Geekie.

I think we addressed the need (Friday), Jankowski said. You lose Conor, but now you may have his replacement lined up.

Sergachev gives Utah a top-tier defenseman who is only in the second year of an eight-year extension he signed with Tampa Bay.

He's a young guy, so there's still room for him to continue developing, said Darryl Plandowski, Utah's director of amateur scouting. Defenders develop a little later than attackers, and they are so valuable. It will cost us some assets, but it will be worth it. He will be a big part of our future going forward.

Tij Iginla: History AND name recognition

Before the draft, team owner Ryan Smith pondered the player who would be the first draft pick to don a Utah jersey.

It's the first time, the first moment, but more than that, there's a family and a kid who worked his whole life to get to this moment, and he becomes the very first draft pick in Utah franchise history, Smith said.

That happens to be a family Real famous in hockey circles.

Tij Iginla is a 17-year-old forward who comes from the Western Hockey League via Kelowna.

His father, Jarome Iginlawas elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020. His career resume includes:

• Six-time NHL All-Star.
• Two-time winner of the Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL's top scorer (2001-02, 2003-04).
• Winner of the Art Ross Trophy as NHL points leader in 2001–02.
• Two-time gold medalist for Canada.

Jarome Iginla scored two goals for Team Canada in the gold medal game at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Armstrong called the younger Iginla a great kid with playing skills.

It's not the name, Armstrong said. You fall in love with the player and the talent level, and you forget the name. … The name, you can celebrate him on draft day, but he has to have talent, he has to have passion and he has to want to blood for Utah, and we believe he has that. … He's going to make his own name in Utah.

Armstrong laughed as he told Iginla, “We've got a lot of goalscorers on our roster. We need a goalscorer who can score 50 goals. No pressure.”

Utah Hockey Club could do a lot in free agency, but probably won't

The NHL free agency signing period begins Monday. Before the draft, Utah had the most cap space in the league, and Armstrong and Smith were asked during the NHL Draft about the teams' plans to sign free agents. Both emphasized patience and balance.

Armstrong has talked about not blocking the path of young talent into the organization by signing too many free agents. He reiterated that message after Friday's first round, while also praising the depth of the organization.

We have to be realistic. We have young players, Armstrong said. Most of the players who were superstars (in the Stanley Cup Final) have been there for 10 years. … When you look at the numbers, go through them, when guys are at their peak, it's hard to say that Logan Cooley is going to lead us to the Stanley Cup next year. We have to adjust our expectations for the team. I do believe we probably have some of the most talented prospects in the NHL coming up…so it's an exciting time for the organization, but I don't want to get ahead of ourselves by adding a few free agents into the mix to add.

Sergachev appears to be a long-term player. As noted, he's only 26 and under contract for seven more seasons, so he should make the team better right away without jeopardizing the development of younger players. Much of Utah's organizational depth is at forward, and adding Sergachev and Marino via trade would improve Utah's defense before free agency even begins.

From a cap space standpoint and going into the season, I'm very aware of where we are, Smith said. I am very aware of where the markets are and the opportunities we have. My message all the time and our actions will certainly show that it is my job to support our team and Bill. …

That's the balance. You're managing conflicting emotions at all times. You want to win now, but you also want to win long term. You want to create this culture. But we were young. Were young. And the future looks really bright.