National Hockey League (NHL)
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Will NHL Free Agents Want To Play For Utah Hockey Club?

SALT LAKE CITY – Following a successful inaugural season for the Utah Hockey Club, a critical and decisive offseason looms in the coming months. With a playoff or bust mentality in 2025-26 and the opportunity to upgrade their roster, can Utah truly become an attractive destination for NHL free agents?

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What Utah Hockey Club players have said about their new home

While the next few months will provide a clear answer regarding Utah’s ability to secure talent in free agency, there’s plenty of reasons to believe that the club will have every opportunity to attract high level talent to play hockey in Salt Lake City.

First of all, the NHL’s inaugural season in Utah was wildly successful in nearly every facet.

Not only did the community completely fall in love with hockey, but the players instantly embraced their new home.

“It’s my home,” Two-time Stanley Cup Champion Mikhail Sergachev said. “I like how we’re improving as a group…it’s exciting for me. We’re not standing still.”

“I love it here…I could live here after I’m retired. I love this place.”

“It means a lot to me. I’ve never had support like that from the fans,” Goaltender Karel Vejmelka explained.

“I just love to play here. It’s literally like my home…we couldn’t ask for a better organization as a brand-new team.”

Likewise, players also developed an appreciation for Utah off the ice as a beautiful and safe place to raise a family.

“I love nature here. I love Utah as a country,” Vejmelka added.

“Really easy to live here. I really like to spend some time outside…it’s really unique nature here. I just love to be outside.”

“It’s such a great city to have a family,” Liam O’Brien said.

“My wife and my daughter have really enjoyed it. There’s just so much to do with your kids. Really appreciate that.”

What NHL Players have said about Utah Hockey Club

In addition to Utah’s players quickly growing fond of the beehive state, there was also a buzz around the league as every team experienced the NHL’s newest market.

“We are hockey players, but we can’t do it without the community,” Lawson Crouse explained.

“Every time we step onto the ice, it’s the loudest rink in the league when we play. I have friends throughout the league that say it’s a lot of fun to play here.”

Notably, even some of the NHL’s biggest names recognized the situation in Utah and how much potential the organization has.

Related: Reigning NHL MVP Nathan MacKinnon ‘Happy’ To See Coyotes Move To Utah

“I was happy…I think everybody in the league was. Coming here it’s awesome facilities…the owner seems great…I think it’s exciting for not just Utah but the whole league,” Reigning MVP Nathan MacKinnon said regarding the team’s relocation.

“Ownership is fantastic. I think everyone knows that. They’re willing to do whatever it takes to give the guys the best chance to succeed,” Two-time Stanley Cup Champion Steven Stamkos explained.

What’s attractive about the Utah Hockey Club?

After so many years of uncertainty and mediocrity in Arizona, the acquisition by Smith Entertainment Group brought new life and opportunity to the organization.

Overnight, the team suddenly had an ownership group that would do anything to support them towards creating a championship culture and they’ve followed through on every promise along the way.

“When we had that meeting, Ryan [Smith] and his wife pulled up a chair and we just had an honest conversation,” Crouse recalled from the moment they were informed of the team’s relocation.

“He’s talked about what he said about just, ‘Trust us. You’re coming to a great spot with a great community feel.’”

In addition to their plans to renovate the Delta Center over the next few summers in order to fully accommodate hockey, SEG is also currently constructing a new worldclass training facility in Sandy.

Related: Utah Hockey Club’s New Practice Facility Set To Open September 1 For Team Use

For a league whose players dedicate themselves to their craft and spend countless hours at the training facility, these are significant developments that will help Utah recruit free agents.

“This facility that Ryan and Ashley Smith have created is one of the top in the NHL,” General Manager Bill Armstrong said. “It’s going to help us recruit players and free agents.”

Furthermore, Utah is a young team on the rise with roughly $22 million to spend in the offseason.

That’s a deep pocket that will provide the club with an opportunity to approach any free agent of interest.

“There’s not a single conversation that we won’t be able to entertain with a capability and capacity to execute on it,” Team President Chris Armstrong said.

“That’s a great place to be. Having that kind of flexibility.”

So, considering Utah’s invested ownership group, elite potential, young talent, worldclass facilities, deep pockets and a very successful inaugural season from top to bottom, there’s no reason Utah shouldn’t be a destination market in the NHL.

“Every team that played here noticed how loud our fans were,” Kevin Stenlund said. “Our owner is great, and we get a new practice facility.”

“People will want to play here.”

Once the playoffs conclude, free agency will officially begin on July 1 and Utah will have their first chance to take some big swings.

Next For The Utah Hockey Club

Following the conclusion of the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season, the next notable event will be the NHL Draft on June 27 and 28.

Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. You can hear Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.

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