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Multiple Utah Defensemen Out Long Term After Surgeries

The Utah Hockey Club will be without two key defensemen for multiple months.

Nick Horwat

Oct 8, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Hockey Club defenseman Sean Durzi (50) looks to pass against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Oct 8, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Hockey Club defenseman Sean Durzi (50) looks to pass against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Utah Hockey Club has gotten off to a solid start as the NHL’s newest team, but they’ll be without a couple of key defensemen on a long-term basis. Utah announced that defensemen Sean Durzi and John Marino will both be out multiple months after respective surgeries.

Durzi started the season with Utah, but after four games suffered an upper-body injury that turned out to be pretty serious. Utah revealed that after a surgery on his right shoulder, Durzi will be out for the next 4-6 months.

If things go well, Durzi could return to the lineup in late-February as the push for the playoffs kicks off. At the latest, he will see the ice again in late April.

In his four games with Utah, Durzi picked up a pair of assists. He’s played 216 games in his NHL career with 21 goals and 87 assists for 108 total points.

Marino is one of the newest members of the Utah Hockey Club after being traded there from the New Jersey Devils during the offseason. Despite the move, Marino is yet to play a game with Utah.

A surgery on his lower back will push Marino’s Utah debut back at least 3-4 months. Marino is likely to take his first cuts of the 2024-25 NHL season anywhere between late January and February.

In 328 career NHL games, Marino has scored 18 goals and 89 assists for 107 total points.

Durzi and Marino were supposed to be important pieces of Utah’s blue line in their inaugural season. Marino will still have a chance to be a difference maker down the stretch, but Durzi won’t have as much runway.

It’s also not a guarantee Utah continues to play at a playoff level. The expectations for 2024-25 aren’t extremely high, but with some organizational stability, the playoffs should be a real consideration in the coming years.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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