What will Utah/Salt Lake do next season

[Jason14h]

So Salt Lake will have 43 million in cap space next year

https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/cap/_/ye...maximum_space2

They also have 10 2nd round picks over the next 3 drafts and 7 3rd round picks (In additional to all their own 1sts)

https://puckpedia.com/draft?team=19

Predictions?

[transplant99]

They will be trading some of those picks guaranteed....and very likely for established older guys as that team is far to young to take a step on their own.

Also they cant give contracts to all those picks, so they pretty much have to deal some of them.

Add in that the new owner is pretty likely going to want to make a big splash and get the hype machine going, it all adds up to SL being really busy around and at the draft.

[Jason14h]

Marner trade and extend ?

[Paulie Walnuts]

Huberdeau to be the face of Salt Lake City?

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Marner trade and extend ?

Really possible if Marner is willing to move to SLC. Not sure thats a reality though.

BT has to make some noise too, so they may make good trade partners.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by transplant99

They will be trading some of those picks guaranteed....and very likely for established older guys as that team is far to young to take a step on their own.

Also they cant give contracts to all those picks, so they pretty much have to deal some of them.

Add in that the new owner is pretty likely going to want to make a big splash and get the hype machine going, it all adds up to SL being really busy around and at the draft.

Yeah, I think they need to trade some of those picks. You get diminishing returns if your prospect system is overloaded with too many bodies at the same age. There is only so much ice-time and spots available to develop them properly.

I suspect they try to re-sign their RFAs and most of their UFAs. I doubt they brought all those players to SLC to introduce them to the fans just to let half of them walk before the season even starts.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Yeah, I think they need to trade some of those picks. You get diminishing returns if your prospect system is overloaded with too many bodies at the same age. There is only so much ice-time and spots available to develop them properly.

I suspect they try to re-sign their RFAs and most of their UFAs. I doubt they brought all those players to SLC to introduce them to the fans just to let half of them walk before the season even starts.

Wouldn't be difficult at all to find a team who wants a 2024 2nd round pick for a 2027 2nd round pick. Preserves the draft capital and solves the overloading problem.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Wouldn't be difficult at all to find a team who wants a 2024 2nd round pick for a 2027 2nd round pick. Preserves the draft capital and solves the overloading problem.

Or a late first for multiple seconds …..

[TheScorpion]

Worth mentioning it's the same GM at the helm in Utah. Armstrong has been very clear about not wanting to rush things. I don't think he'll be as aggressive in making trades as with signing UFAs.

That's not to say he won't trade for anyone -- he moved a 2nd for Durzi last summer -- but I think the odds are far better that he tenders a big offer to someone like Brandon Montour.

[Sylvanfan]

They might look at a RFA where they can put together a package of picks to be like an offer sheet but more immediate picks.

GM's don't have next year guaranteed so if you want a pick today for a pick 3 years out....I want something for my lost time.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Huberdeau to be the face of Salt Lake City?

Lac du Sel Olympiques ?

[Funkhouser]

I think Utah will be a major player this off season and shore up all areas:

I predict either Marner or Stamkos will end up in Utah
I could also see them making a play for Markstrom in net
On D, I am not sure who they will hunt, but this is their greatest need IMO

Excited to see how they manage their new marching orders.
I see them as a playoff team next year.

[Funkhouser]

Keller - Bjugstad - Schmaltz
Crouse - Barrett - Guenther
Maccelli - Cooley - Doan
Carcone - McBain - Kerfoot

Trade Schmaltz and some draft picks for Marner and you have an excellent top 9.


Moser - Durzi
Skjei - Kesselring
X - Soderstrom

Sign Skjei, Zadorov or Skandella and you have a passable D core. I could see them drafting a top D man this draft as well and throwing them on the bottom pairing.


Ingram
Vejmelka

I could see them bringing in a top goalie (Ullmark, Stolarz, or Markstrom) trading draft picks or prospects.

[Oil Stain]

NHL media is saying that the Utah Soakers are going to be aggressive in free agency, but who is going to want to sign there?

The Utah Jazz attract zero free agents.


They can probably land some free agents if they pay a premium. Should be able to pick up some decent players in trade if they want as some teams will be dumping.

Seems like the prudent thing to do is continue to build from within. Cooley could pop next year, and then maybe they start to attract some family guys that want to win before retiring?

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Huberdeau to be the face of Salt Lake City?

I don’t think they need the massive amount of draft capital it would include to take him.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

I think Utah will be a major player this off season and shore up all areas:

I predict either Marner or Stamkos will end up in Utah
I could also see them making a play for Markstrom in net
On D, I am not sure who they will hunt, but this is their greatest need IMO

Excited to see how they manage their new marching orders.
I see them as a playoff team next year.

Hard to imagine Marner approving a trade to many places, but certainly Utah tops the list.

Stamkos? The team might interest him to some extent, but not the location. I’d guess he’d choose playing with Bedard or going to the wings first.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Worth mentioning it's the same GM at the helm in Utah. Armstrong has been very clear about not wanting to rush things. I don't think he'll be as aggressive in making trades as with signing UFAs.

That's not to say he won't trade for anyone -- he moved a 2nd for Durzi last summer -- but I think the odds are far better that he tenders a big offer to someone like Brandon Montour.

New owner though who will likely have a different philosophy. I'm not sure if outbidding teams for Reinhart is a great idea but it can't be ruled out and I imagine they will be in the mix for players like Guentzel, Montour, Lindholm, etc.

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Hard to imagine Marner approving a trade to many places, but certainly Utah tops the list.

Stamkos? The team might interest him to some extent, but not the location. I’d guess he’d choose playing with Bedard or going to the wings first.

With stable ownership, a young and upcoming core, and the opportunity to be a franchise icon for a beautiful city…I think Utah will become a top destination for players quickly.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

I think Utah will be a major player this off season and shore up all areas:

I predict either Marner or Stamkos will end up in Utah
I could also see them making a play for Markstrom in net
On D, I am not sure who they will hunt, but this is their greatest need IMO

Excited to see how they manage their new marching orders.
I see them as a playoff team next year.

There's some decent pending UFA Dmen. No one as splashy as a Marner or Stamkos.

[thefoss1957]

Originally Posted by Oil Stain

NHL media is saying that the Utah Soakers are going to be aggressive in free agency, but who is going to want to sign there?

The Utah Jazz attract zero free agents.


They can probably land some free agents if they pay a premium. Should be able to pick up some decent players in trade if they want as some teams will be dumping.

Seems like the prudent thing to do is continue to build from within. Cooley could pop next year, and then maybe they start to attract some family guys that want to win before retiring?

The biggest reason that NBA players are not attracted to Utah seems obvious. Utah Population distribution by race: White only 79.3% Latino 14.8% Two or more 9.5% Other (non mixed) 5.3% Asian 2.5% Black 1.1% Native alone 1% Pacific Islander alone 0.9%. As the NBA players are (ESPN study) Black 81.9%, there is little, culturally, to appeal to Blacks, and no exclusively black communities. I don't see this as being as large a problem in attracting Canadian, Americans, or European whites, that make up 84% of NHL players (per Sports Reporter).


As far as the team, I get the feeling that they may add one "big splash" forward, like Stamkos. But, the Former Yotes forward core seems young, and on the rise. With much to spend to get to the Salary Floor, the picks for player moves will be to bolster the Defense.


My biggest prediction for this team is that Jon Cooper will become head coach, should he become available, the Ryan Smith has admitted to being close to, and consulting with, Cooper.