Utah Hockey Club NHL Draft picks tracker: Grades, fits and analysis

Corey Pronman details what to expect from the Utah Hockey Club’s new prospects and how they fit into the farm system.

2024 Draft Grade: B+

The Utah Hockey Cub’s grade doesn’t reflect the trades they made, as it’s purely about the talent acquired in the draft. As an aside, I’m a huge fan of the deals they made. By bringing Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino into a blue line that will soon have Dmitri Simashev and Maveric Lamoureux, Utah’s defense could be quite terrifying given all the size and mobility that group will have. Focusing on the picks, Tij Iginla at No. 6 was a bit high for me, even though I do see him as a potential top-six wing in the NHL, and he wasn’t too far behind that spot on my list. Utah’s next three picks are highly competitive big men in Cole Beaudoin, Will Skahan and Tomas Lavoie, who all have clear, projectable paths to the NHL. Beaudoin looks like an all-day NHL forward, and those two defenders have real chances to make it too. Owen Allard is a speedster who was one of my favorites in this class too. I could see three NHL regulars coming from this group, with Iginla having a high chance of scoring a lot of goals in the league.

Draft Class

6. Tij Iginla, LW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

August 1, 2006 | 6′ 0″ | 192 pounds

Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: High-end

Player comparable: Viktor Arvidsson

Analysis: Iginla was excellent this season in the WHL for Kelowna and at the U18s for Canada, emerging as a top NHL prospect. The son of Jarome Iginla, Tij is a very talented offensive player. His stickhandling displays stand out constantly. He beats defenders one-on-one at a high rate and improvises very well with the puck. He skates well and can make high-skill plays with his feet moving. Iginla has a great shot that gets off the stick quick and can pick corners. He scored a lot of goals this season and projects to beat pro goalies from range. He gets to the inside to score as well and displays a strong effort away from the puck. His pure sense and playmaking don’t stand out like the rest of his game, though. He projects as a strong top-six wing who will score a lot of goals.

Thoughts on the pick: Iginla is a player who kept rising as the season went along, and became an option this high in the draft. He’s a highly competitive goal scorer with a ton of skill. I had some minor concerns on his hockey sense, and I’m a bit surprised given some of the great defense prospects on the board such as Anton Silayev, Zeev Buium and Zayne Parekh that they didn’t go in that direction. Iginla projects as a top-six forward who brings a lot of elements to a lineup.

24. Cole Beaudoin, C, Barrie Colts (OHL)

April 24, 2006 | 6′ 2″ | 209 pounds

Tier: Middle of the lineup player

Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: High-end
Shot: Above NHL average

Player comparable: Andrew Copp

Analysis: Beaudoin is a very likable player. He’s a tremendously hardworking center, with NHL size and skill. He is constantly noticeable throughout the game in how many pucks he wins and the amount of plays he makes. He is quite physical and doesn’t shy from getting to the tough areas of the ice. He can create offense in junior, but with a somewhat heavy skating stride, the debate is in how his game will translate to the pros. I’ve seen him get by enough defenders and think his compete is so good that his game will work in a potential third-line center role.

Thoughts on the pick: Beaudoin is a very likeable prospect. He’s an extremely competitive, big center with good enough talent. He’s probably a third-line center in the NHL who is loved by your coach, but if he hits he reminds me a lot of Boone Jenner at the same age.

65. Will Skahan, LHD, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)

May 14, 2006 | 6′ 4″ | 216 pounds

Tier: Projected to play NHL games

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Analysis: Skahan is a tall, mobile and highly physical defenseman. He has the potential to be a shutdown defenseman in the pros due to how hard he plays. The question with him is offense. He lacks puck game and offensive instincts. He shows flashes of decent skill with the puck, but his first pass and decision making can leave a lot to be desired and make me question how well he’ll be able to process at higher levels. Guys like him find ways to play games but I have a hard time seeing him as more than a depth defenseman in the NHL.

89. Tomas Lavoie, RHD, Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)

March 31, 2006 | 6′ 4″ | 225 pounds

Tier: Projected to play NHL games

Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Analysis: Lavoie was the No. 1 pick in his QMJHL Draft. He’s a tall right-shot defenseman who skates well for a big man. His first few steps could be a tad quicker but once he gets going he moves like an NHLer. His length plus feet help him break up a lot of plays and succeed on retrievals. He plays hard and is overall a very strong defender. Offensive play is the question on Lavoie. He has good enough hands and looks fine with the puck, but his sense/decisions are lacking and I question whether he’ll make a consistent outlet pass in the NHL. He projects as a third-pair defenseman.

96. Veeti Väisänen, LHD, KooKoo (Liiga)

February 15, 2006 | 6′ 0″ | 187 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Analysis: Väisänen played a limited-minute role in Liiga this season. He’s played up age groups internationally and was a last cut from Finland’s world junior team. Väisänen is a well-rounded defender. He skates quite well with a technically smooth stride. He closes on gaps well and makes a lot of stops due to his skating and strong physicality. He can skate pucks up and create with good skill and vision. Väisänen has offense, but I wouldn’t call him a dynamic puck-mover. The debate on him is what exactly is his NHL role. He’s a 6-foot defenseman who is good at a lot, but can be quite vanilla overall.

98. Gregor Biber, LHD, Rögle BK J20 (J20 Nationell)

August 9, 2006 | 6′ 3″ | 185 pounds

Analysis: Gregor Biber is a big, physical defenseman who skates well enough for a big man. His puck play is a question, even though he showed a bit more puck play internationally than with his club team in Sweden.

103. Gabe Smith, C, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

August 3, 2006 | 6′ 4″ | 207 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Below NHL average

Analysis: Gabe Smith didn’t have great numbers in the QMJHL this season but his physical tools intrigue scouts. Smith is a large winger with good offensive creativity. He’s quite athletic and moves decent for a big man. He isn’t afraid to use his big body to land hard hits or create around the net front. I don’t think the offense in his game is truly natural from a playmaking or finishing perspective though and he will need to prove he can score at the junior level first never mind the pros.

135. Owen Allard, C, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

January 13, 2004 | 6′ 2″ | 201 pounds

Tier: Projected to play NHL games

Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Analysis: Allard’s game showed significant development this season, being an important part of the Greyhounds team. His signature moment was making Team Canada’s World Junior team. Allard did so because he’s such a good natural athlete. He has an explosive, natural skating stride that easily picks up speed and will allow him to push the pace at an NHL level. His pure offensive touch is going to be the debate in his game. He doesn’t score a ton, and his decisions/vision with the puck is subpar. His two-way potential could make him a bottom-six wing if he can score a little as a pro.

153. Ales Cech, LHD, Mlada Boleslav (CZECHIA)

June 1, 2004 | 6’3″ | 198 pounds

Analysis: Ales Cech is a good-sized defenseman who skates quite well for his frame. He’s a re-entry player, and scouts have had questions before on how well he moves the puck. I don’t think it’s his calling card, but it’s OK enough.

167. Vojtech Hradec, C, BK Mlada Boleslav (Czechia)

September 24, 2005 | 6′ 4″ | 201 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: NHL average

Analysis: Hradec was a limited-minute player at the top Czechia level this season and was OK at their junior level. He showed well with Czechia’s U19 team though. Hradec is a big-body center who skates well and has been a good two-way center in junior. He has some skill and can be a threat in transition. He doesn’t make many plays though and his natural scoring ability is a question though versus men.

190. Ludvig Lafton, LHD, Färjestad BK J20 (J20 Nationell)

January 11, 2006 | 6′ 2″ | 187 pounds

(Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)