Daniil But continues to show his talent ahead of the season opener. But in the second preseason game, he looked great on the first line and is showing Utah why he should be in the top nine.
Could Danill But change the top lines of Utah
After a 4-1 loss at Colorado on Sunday night, Utah decided to debut Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz with Daniil But on the first line.
This combination proved deadly: each player scored one goal, and Keller and But added one assist. Plus, But set up a nice opportunity, and Keller finished it. Coming into the regular season, the top line will probably look like Keller - Schmatlz - Trocheck, with the new addition Vincent Trocheck playing right wing.
But last night certainly makes you wonder whether Utah would consider putting But on the top line, or even the second line. Logan Cooley (center) and Dylan Guenther (right winger) are inseparable. Plus, Anders Lee himself scored twice last night and will likely play left wing on the second line. Meaning that Trocheck would slide down to play on the third line with some other talented players like Lawson Crouse and Barrett Hayton.
Of course, this is all speculation. However, he is certainly making his case after what he did in the rookie showcase and how he has looked. But at 6'5", he has looked confident with nice passes and has been able to set up the offense really well. Plus, the former first-rounder (12th pick in the 2023 NHL draft) has shown the ability to score goals as well.
The 21-year-old hasn't looked like himself in the limited time he's had in 2025-26. But scored only three goals and added four assists in 29 games last season, looking less comfortable and understandable, making some mistakes here and there.
So far, this player, albeit in limited action, has been completely different. But looks like an annoying (for the other team) game changer. For now, Trocheck is still probably playing on the first line with his experience and ability to excel in multiple facets of the game.
However, if But continues to show talent and the ability to change a game, especially against the Vegas Golden Knights in the final preseason game, then having Trocheck on the top line isn't set in stone.
Utah fans are already excited about Tij Iginla, Caleb Desnoyers, and others. However, But is certainly turning some heads with some of his excellent play so far.
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