The Utah Hockey Club has had a busy off-season, so it needs to piece everything together. The front office wants to make a big impression in the franchise's first season. General manager Bill Armstrong has signed various players for each position: the forward, defensemen, and goaltending. The organization signed forwards Hunter Drew, Cameron Hebig, Ryan McGregor, Austin Poganski, and Kailer Yamamoto.
The 25-year-old Drew is looking to find a home where he can stay and play for years to come. He has played for six different leagues. Drew was selected in the 2018 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks. The Utah Hockey Club could be his golden opportunity to redeem his career in the NHL. It’s the right time for him to deliver and stay consistent on the ice.
Yamamoto could be a massive asset for this hockey team. He got invited to training camp for a tryout. Utah can use someone like him to get you goals and bring playoff experience. Yamamoto went to the Stanley Cup Finals with the Edmonton Oilers last season, which they lost to the Florida Panthers in seven games.
Peter DiLiberatore, Lleyton Moore, and Robbie Russo are new faces joining the Defensemen's depth. The club also signed goaltender Dylan Wells.
A busy offseason for the Utah Hockey Club means a lot of competition in camp
Utah’s training camp roster features 64 players, including 37 forwards, 21 defensemen, and six goaltenders. That’s a lot of players. The fun part will be the process of elimination. Some will make the team by the regular season, and some will be released and find a new home or wait for another phone call at home. Every opportunity is like a Game Seven for these hockey players.
The team will practice at Park City Ice Arena from Oct. 3-4. Since they are a new team, many media members will follow each on-ice session throughout the training camp. Last year’s team missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs by 21 points. The upside is that many players from last year's roster will be back, including Clayton Keller, who spent his first eight seasons with Arizona.
No matter their record, it will be a fascinating season we will never forget. We don’t expect Utah to compete for the playoffs in its first year. However, it has been making solid decisions with its roster and keeping it young. It’s essential to develop the players smoothly and nicely and learn from their experience.