Utah Hockey Club Enters First Off-Season With Big Decisions Ahead

It’s been a week since the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season came to an end. Now that we’ve heard from everyone within the organization, the focus shifts to the offseason and how they plan to make the team better.

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There are a few key questions that need to be addressed.

The first centers around their pending free agents — both unrestricted and restricted — and who they might target in free agency.

Pending Unrestricted Free Agents:

• Nick Bjugstad

• Michael Carcone

• Robert Bortuzzo

• Nick DeSimone

• Jaxson Stauber

DeSimone spoke publicly about wanting to return and play for Utah again. Bjugstad, meanwhile, is expected to draw interest on the open market and could end up signing elsewhere. Bortuzzo appears to be leaning toward retirement, and Carcone won’t be back after spending most of the season as a healthy scratch. He spoke about it openly after the season ended.

Utah’s Robert Bortuzzo Gets Fitting Send-Off In Utah’s Season Finale As last night’s game came to an end and the Utah Hockey Club’s first chapter closed, it looked like their defenseman Robert Bortuzzo could be calling it a career.

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Restricted Free Agents:

• Jack McBain

• Kailer Yamamoto

McBain will be back — there’s no question. He’s proven himself to be a key part of the bottom six. Yamamoto, on the other hand, might look for a more defined role with another NHL team. That said, a return to Utah is still possible.

Once they make decisions on who’s staying and who’s moving on, attention will turn to the 2025 NHL Draft. With Utah missing the playoffs, they’ll be selecting somewhere in the 10–15 range. That should still give them a shot at landing a player with real NHL potential.

André Tourigny Reflects on Utah HC’s Season, Looks to Future In End of Season Interview Just days after Utah’s players completed their exit interviews, it was André Tourigny’s turn at the podium on the morning of April 21.

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However, there’s also a possibility that the pick is used as a trade chip to improve the current roster. There’s already been talk that Utah plans to be aggressive this offseason — and trading the pick could be part of that plan.

Finally, they’ll need to take a long look at free agency. They’re expected to be in the mix to make a splash, and there are a few intriguing names that could fit.

• Mitch Marner

• Brock Boeser

• Nikolaj Ehlers

• Aaron Ekblad

• Sam Bennett

There are plenty of players who could make sense for Utah. But regardless of the route they take, one thing is clear — they’ll need to make a move or two to push closer to a playoff spot in 2026.

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