Utah

How soon could NHL Utah be a contender? A look at their top prospects and young players

Published

2 years ago

April 23, 2024

How soon could NHL Utah be a contender? A look at their top prospects and young players

Hockey fans in Utah have recently learned that the Arizona Coyotes will be relocating to their state. I’m sure one question fans have is: What are they getting in the former Coyotes organization, what do they have, what do they still need and where are they in the contention cycle?

To highlight this, I’m going to focus on the core players either on the roster or in the pipeline who are age 25 or under, who can be part of the foreseeable future in Utah.

Centers

Logan Cooley, Barrett Hayton, Conor Geekie, Jack McBain

Cooley may be the most important player currently in the Utah organization. Having an elite NHL player or two is a near necessity for winning a championship. Clayton Keller is excellent but isn’t an elite NHL player. Cooley is the organization’s best shot at that type of player based on his talent level and how he’s played at various levels the last few seasons. As a 19-year-old rookie, he recorded 44 points in 82 NHL games. He’s a dynamic skater, puck handler and passer who can make a lot of high-end skilled plays at a top pace. He’s not that big but competes well. He has the makings of a potential star No. 1 center that Utah can build a winner around.

Hayton and Geekie are both very good young centers. Hayton is a several-year pro who hasn’t lived up to the billing of his fifth overall selection in 2018, but is a middle-six center in the league. Geekie is a recent top-15 pick still in junior hockey, but was very good in the WHL this past season. Geekie is a bit bigger than Hayton, Hayton is a little more skilled, neither are great skaters, but both compete well and make a lot of plays with the puck. The hope is they can be the 2/3 punch down the middle, in some order, with Cooley leading the charge for this organization.

GO DEEPER

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Wings

Daniil But, Josh Doan, Dylan Guenther, Clayton Keller, Matias Maccelli

This is the strongest position for Utah currently. Keller is a star who was a high pick from the beginning of the current rebuild. He’s a dynamic forward with high-end skill and hockey sense who plays with pace and will be a high-producing forward for a while.

Maccelli has developed phenomenally — after being a fourth-round pick in 2019 — into a legit NHL scorer. He went that low because he’s not that big or fast, but has overcome those issues because of how good his puck play is. Maccelli is super smart and skilled with the puck and can run an NHL power play off the flank. To go with Keller and Maccelli are top-tier young prospects in Guenther and But.

Guenther’s first full year as a pro went very well. He was a productive AHL player before coming up to the NHL and scoring 35 points in 45 games for the Coyotes. He’s a big winger who skates well and while he can make plays, it’s his elite shot that defines his offensive value and should make him a valuable top-six wing on a good team with a chance to be a legit top-line winger.

But was a high first-round pick a year ago. He had a strong year versus men production-wise even if his ice time wasn’t amazing on a top KHL team. The toolkit he has looks like an NHL player. He’s huge at 6-foot-5 and maybe taller. He skates quite well for a guy his size. He has very good offensive skills and he’s able to finish chances well. But is a year or two away from the NHL, but he has the potential to be a top-six wing as well.

Josh Doan is a high second-round pick from 2021, and the son of organization legend Shane Doan, who looked quite good as a rookie pro as well and is showing indicators he could be a middle-six wing in the league given his skill, size and compete level.

Between Keller, Guenther, But, Maccelli and Doan, Utah has a potential large part of its future on the wing built out already especially since that’s a position that can be more easily plugged in through free agency.

Dmitri Simashev, the sixth overall pick at the 2023 NHL Draft, has the potential to be a major-minutes, all-situations defenseman in the NHL. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)

Defensemen

Sean Durzi, Maveric Lamoureux, J.J. Moser, Dmitri Simashev, Juuso Valimaki

Utah has some good young talent at defense, but between their forward and blue-line situations, there is a need for more on defense in terms of building a contending group.

They made a good initial step last summer though drafting Dmitri Simashev with the sixth overall pick. He will play in Russia for another year, but he’s a big, athletic defenseman who has some skill and competes hard. He has the potential to be a major-minutes, all-situations defenseman in the NHL.

Lamoureux has some offense/puck-moving questions, but his massive frame, plus strong skating and physical play could make him a second or third-pair defenseman.

Moser and Durzi have played big roles on the recent Coyotes teams. I don’t know if on a contender they are going to be the leaned-on type of defensemen they were this season given that neither are amazing skaters. Both are very smart and competitive players though, and Durzi has the creative mind to run an NHL power play well.

GO DEEPER

Gary Bettman speaks on Coyotes relocation in both Arizona, Utah

Goaltender

Michael Hrabal

Utah used a high second-round pick in 2023 on Hrabal, who is one of the better goaltending prospects in hockey currently. He doesn’t project as a true impact starting goalie, but he looks like a future NHL goaltender given his massive frame, good quickness, and hockey sense. He projects at least as a tandem starter with a chance to be a legit starting goaltender.

Projecting NHL Utah’s future

Utah has spent quite a few years rebuilding, starting way back with picking Dylan Strome third overall in 2015, and after a lot of seasons of losing in Arizona a new fan base in Salt Lake City could be in position to benefit from the assets they’ve accumulated.

They have a desirable group of young forwards. They have a strong potential top center in Cooley, and a good nucleus of talent to build a contending top-nine group around. Even though they didn’t have a good season overall, Arizona still finished middle of the pack in the NHL in goals scored and has room to grow with the development of their young forwards.

GO DEEPER

Why Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith is hellbent on bringing an NHL team to Salt Lake City

They have some good young blueliners, but continuing to build out their group of young defensemen is still a priority for this organization. It remains to be seen how Simashev is going to be as a pro as he develops, even if he’s a highly promising player. Maybe a second-round pick like Artyom Duda hits, but for now this is the area of the organization that needs more high-end depth. Utah has another high pick this season in a defense-heavy class; maybe the team will pick up another top prospect there.

Overall, this is an organization trending slowly in the right direction. If they even got average goaltending this season they could have pushed for a playoff spot and were at points this season. I can see them becoming a legit playoff contender over the next two to three years, and if they acquire or develop one or two more premium young players they could form a core that can be a contender down the line.

(Photo of Logan Cooley: Norm Hall / NHLI via Getty Images)

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Utah

Why Utah Represents Arizona State’s True Turning Point

Published

37 minutes ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Why Utah Represents Arizona State’s True Turning Point

Arizona State basketball is at a crossroads. After back-to-back road losses to Baylor and TCU, the Sun Devils are suddenly fighting just to stay above .500.

Now, with Utah coming to town Saturday afternoon, this isn’t just another conference game. It feels bigger than that. It feels like the moment that decides whether this season still has life or if it quietly fades away.

The Danger of Falling Below .500

All season long, Arizona State has had one strange pattern.

Every time they dropped to .500, they responded with a win. They never let things spiral.

But now they’re sitting right on the edge again.

A loss to Utah would push them below .500 for the first time all year. That might not sound dramatic, but it matters for team morale.

Teams feel that shift. Confidence changes. Urgency changes. And with only a few games left before the Big 12 Tournament, there isn’t much time to recover.

That’s why this Utah game feels different.

Feb 21, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears guard Isaac Williams (10) scores a basket over Arizona State Sun Devils guard Anthony Johnson (2) during the second half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Utah Is Playing Better — Especially on Defense

When these two teams met a few weeks ago, Utah was struggling.

Since then, they’ve improved. They’re still built around their top scorers, who combine for around 40 points per game, but the real difference lately has been defense.

Utah has started putting together more complete defensive performances. They’re contesting shots better. They’re finishing possessions. They’re not folding as easily in the second half.

That matters because Arizona State’s biggest issue right now isn’t effort, it’s physical depth.

Feb 21, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley disputes a call with an official during the first half against the Baylor Bears at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The Real Niche Problem: Guard-Heavy and Worn Down

Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: Arizona State’s roster balance is off.

Because of injuries, especially the likely season-ending absence of Marcus Adams Jr., the Sun Devils are extremely guard-heavy right now. More than half of the available players are guards. That creates matchup issues, especially against physical teams.

We saw it against TCU. They got to the free-throw line 36 times.

They won the physical battle. Even when their best scorer struggled, they still controlled the game inside.

ASU just doesn’t have the same frontcourt depth.

With only a few true bigs available and some undersized forwards playing bigger roles than expected, the team can get worn down.

Late in games, that shows up in missed rebounds, second-chance points, and tired legs.

It’s not about hustle. It’s about bodies.

Why Saturday Truly Matters

If Arizona State beats Utah, everything changes.

Suddenly, you’re heading into Senior Night against Kansas with momentum. Win that, and you’re talking about a possible 7–11 conference finish and a much better Big 12 Tournament matchup.

From there? Anything can happen.

But if they lose Saturday, the math and the hope get much harder.

That’s why this game isn’t just about Utah.

It’s about belief. It’s about roster limitations. And it’s about whether this team has one more push left in them before the season runs out.

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Utah

Utahns first or eroding the Utah way? House OKs measure cracking down on illegal immigration

Published

13 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Utahns first or eroding the Utah way? House OKs measure cracking down on illegal immigration

SALT LAKE CITY — A controversial Utah proposal to crack down on the presence of immigrants in the country illegally that had seemed stalled gained new life Friday, passing muster in new form in a relatively narrow vote.

In a 39-33 vote, the Utah House approved HB386 — amended with portions of HB88, which stalled in the House on Monday — and the revamped measure now goes to the Utah Senate for consideration.

The reworked version of HB386, originally meant just to repeal outdated immigration legislation, now also contains provisions prohibiting immigrants in the country illegally from being able to tap into in-state university tuition, certain home loan programs and certain professional licensing.

The new HB386 isn’t as far-reaching as HB88, which also would have prohibited immigrants in the country illegally from being able to access certain public benefits like food at food pantries, immunizations for communicable diseases and emergency housing.

Moreover, Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton and the HB88 sponsor, stressed that the new provisions in HB386 wouldn’t impact immigrants in the country legally. He touted HB88 as a means of making sure taxpayer money isn’t funneled to programming that immigrants in the country illegally can tap.

Rep. Lisa Shepherd, R-Provo, the HB386 sponsor, sounded a similar message, referencing, with chagrin, the provision allowing certain students in the country illegally to access lower in-state tuition rates at Utah’s public universities. Because of such provisions “we’re taking care of other countries’ children first, and I want to take care of Utahns first. In my campaign I ran and said Utahns first and this bill will put Utahns first,” she said.

If we stop young folks who have lived here much of their life from going to school and getting an education, it is really clear to me that we have hurt that person. It’s not clear to me at all that we have benefitted the rest of us.

–Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful

The relatively narrow 39-33 vote, atypical in the GOP-dominated Utah Legislature, followed several other narrow, hotly contested procedural votes to formally amend HB386. Foes, including both Democrats and Republicans, took particular umbrage with provisions prohibiting immigrants in the country illegally from being able to pay in-state tuition and access certain scholarships.

As is, students in the country illegally who have attended high school for at least three years in Utah and meet other guidelines may pay lower in-state tuition, but if they have to pay out-of-state tuition instead, they could no longer afford to go to college.

“If we stop young folks who have lived here much of their life from going to school and getting an education, it is really clear to me that we have hurt that person. It’s not clear to me at all that we have benefitted the rest of us,” said Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful.

Rep. Hoang Nguyen, D-Salt Lake City, noted her own hardscrabble upbringing as an immigrant from Vietnam and said the changes outlined in the reworked version of HB386 run counter to what she believes Utah stands for.

“I fear that what we’re doing here in Utah is we are eroding what truly makes Utah special, the Utah way. We are starting to adopt policies that are regressive and don’t take care of people. Utahns are one thing. Citizens are one thing. People is the first thing,” she said.

Rep. John Arthur, D-Cottonwood Heights, said the measure sends a negative message to the immigrant students impacted.

“If we pass this bill today, colleagues, we will be telling these young people — again, who have graduated from our high schools, these kids who have gone to at least three years of school here — that you’re no longer a Utahn,” he said.

If we are compassionate to those who come the legal way and we are compassionate to those who already live here, that does not mean that we lack compassion for others in other ways.

–Rep. Kristen Chevrier, R-Highland

Rep. Kristen Chevrier, R-Highland, said the debate underscores a “fallacy” about compassion. She backed the reworked version of HB386, saying Utah resources should be first spend on those in the country legally.

“If we are compassionate to those who come the legal way and we are compassionate to those who already live here, that does not mean that we lack compassion for others in other ways,” she said.

The original version of HB386 calls for repeal of immigration laws on the books that are outdated because other triggering requirements have not been met or they run counter to federal law.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

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