The last two weeks have been rough for the Utah Hockey Club. After Sean Durzi and John Marino were officially ruled out for months, and the team lost six of its previous seven games after losing to the San Jose Sharks last night, it is starting to feel like the sky is falling.
However, one bright spot in the stretch of darkness has been Maveric Lamoureux, who made his NHL debut against the Colorado Avalanche, where he played the most minutes on any Utah defender at five-on-five. In addition to playing the most minutes, he won those minutes and finished with a positive goal share while on the ice in a game Utah lost 5-1.
With Utah struggling to get back in the win column, getting caught up in the negativity is easy. However, this team is still young; they will take time to figure out how to close out games, but we must remember that the future is still bright for this team.
Let's reiterate by checking in on the Utah Hockey Club's other top four prospects, like Lamoureux, who are still waiting to make their NHL debut (via NHL.com).
Checking in on Utah Hockey Club's Top Prospects
- Dmitry Simashev (Yaroslavl Lokomotiv - KHL)
The Coyotes selected Simashev with the sixth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He is another big defenseman who is a great skater, much like Lamoureux. Simashev stands at 6'4" and is 198 pounds and has been a big part of the Lokomotiv playing their way into first place in the KHL after 21 games of their season.
Shimashev is playing five more shifts per game this year than last in the KHL, and his ice time is up over 17 minutes per game. He is a plus-10 and has been on the ice for 14 goals in 15 games this year despite only having three points (via NHL.com).
Simashev is expected to be NHL-ready next season, and if he is as advertised, he will be a huge addition to this team. Outside of Mikhail Sergachev, the left side of Utah's blueline has been a weakness so far this year.
- Tij Iginla (Kelowna Rockets - WHL)
Tij Iginla was selected with the sixth overall pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Once he returned from injury, Iginla had an impressive showing in Utah's training camp and was one of the last cuts, just missing making the Utah Hockey Club.
After being sent back to his junior hockey team, the Kelowna Rockets, he only scored one point in his first three games back in the WHL. However, since then, he has been on a tear, tallying 14 points in his last six games.
After just missing cracking the NHL roster, Iginla looks to be building on the 84 points he scored in 64 games last year with the Rockets.
- Daniil But (Yaroslavl Lokomotiv - KHL)
Daniil But is playing with Simashev on the Lokomotiv, who are first in the KHL right now. But he is the type of guy Utah needs; he is a massive power forward with some offensive talent.
He has 13 points in 19 games this season in the KHL while only playing just over 12 minutes per game. He is already over halfway to the 21 points in 55 games last season in the KHL.
But he is still young, only 19 years old; while Iginla and Simashev could play in the NHL season, Daniil But will likely be playing in the KHL another year before coming to Utah.
- Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts - OHL)
The Utah Hockey Club selected Beaudoin with the 24th overall pick in 2024. After drafting Beaudoin, Utah General Manager Bill Armstrong had some high praise for the kid, saying, "We think that Cole has the ability to almost change our culture in some degree how hard his work ethic is and how he plays and how he thinks about the game" (via NHL.com).
Beaudoin plays in the OHL with a loaded Barrie Colts team with nine total NHL draft picks.
Last year, Beaudoin scored 62 points in 67 games in the OHL. This year, he scored eight points in his first eight games. We will likely see him in the NHL with the Utah Hockey Club next season with his continued growth.