Utah Signs First Ever Draft Pick

The Utah Hockey Club have locked up their first-ever draft pick to his entry-level contract.

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 has yet to play a game in the NHL but has officially signed their first-ever draft pick. Utah announced the signing of Tij Iginla, the sixth overall pick from the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, to a three-year entry-level contract.

The entry-level deal will last through the 2026-27 season and cost Utah $975,000 against the salary cap at the NHL level.

Iginla played parts of three years of junior hockey in the Western Hockey League. A season plus a few games with the Seattle Thunderbirds and the 2023-24 season with the Kelowna Rockets.

Son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, Tij worked his way up the draft rankings with a successful 2023-24 season. In 64 games with the Rockets, he scored 47 goals and 37 assists for 84 total points.

During the 2022-23 season with the Thunderbirds, Iginla helped contribute to a WHL championship.

With Team Canada at the U18 IIHF World Junior Championship, Iginla scored six goals and six assists for 12 points in seven games. Team Canada won gold at that tournament.

With an August 1st birth date, Iginla is still only 17 years old and has an extremely bright future ahead of him. The Utah Hockey Club has high expectations and is excited to see what Iginla can bring when his number is called for the NHL.

“I think the thing that stood out was the work ethic, high motor, and then just the willingness to play on the inside, which is critical in the NHL,” Utah director of player development Lee Stempniak said. “That's where the goals are scored, and [he has] that willingness, which is great to see.”

Utah’s general manager stated that Iginla could potentially be the 50-goal scorer the franchise needs.

Utah as a team is set to make their NHL debut against the Chicago Blackhawks on October 8.

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