Utah Hockey Club Trying to Build Winning Culture

The Utah Hockey Club is attempting to build a winning culture in their new city.

Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Tij Iginla is selected with the 6th overall pick of the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Utah Hockey Club at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Utah Hockey Club know the challenge they are up against. Formerly the Arizona Coyotes, this organization has struggled to remain relevant since the team's first season in 1996. The team made a brief playoff appearance during the 2019-2020 season, but that was their first and only appearance of the last 14 seasons.

General Manager Doug Armstrong's goal is to take a mediocre team and transform them into a winning culture and organization. They started the transition to Utah on the right foot, acquiring a stud of a defenseman in Mikhail Sergachev and another dependable defender in John Marino. The veteran pair will add a whole new element to Utah's lineup, and gives the team a bonafide top defender they've desperately needed.

Armstong's also invested heavily in bringing in winning players through the draft. They selected forwards Tij Iginla and Cole Beaudoin in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft and already signed both to their entry-level contracts.

With these picks, the club might have two pillars to build around for the next decade. Armstrong believes so at least. Iginla became the new organization's first-ever draft choice, and he comes with unlimited scoring and leadership potential.

The son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, Tij is a goal scorer extraordinaire. He takes a lot after his father, bringing a physical force to his game that highlights a loaded offensive toolkit. Utah thinks their first-round pick is a future elite scorer in the NHL. Speaking to NHL Network after selecting Iginla, Armstrong set the bar high.

“I said to him, we have a lot of 20-goal scorers. We need a 50-goal scorer,” he said. “He’s got a chance to kind of push the pace and score some goals for us. I love his mindset.”

Armstrong also loves their second pick in the first round. He traded several assets to move up and draft Beaudoin. But it wasn't just his talent that triggered the decision.

“His work ethic might change the culture of our organization,” Armstrong told NHL.com. “He's going to push the pace, how hard we play, and how hard we work off the ice. He's going to help our culture.”

The team is already in a better position to succeed in 2024 due to Armstrong's moves. The defense and prospect pool are improved greatly, which are both wins for the organization. They still need proper goaltending and a superstar on offense, but there's no denying they are taking steps towards a winning culture in Utah.

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