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Utah Hockey Club Notes: Cooley, But, Simashev, Maccelli, Ingram

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After managing a 38-31-13 record in their first season in franchise history, the Utah Hockey Club will be an exciting team to follow this upcoming offseason. They have abundant financial flexibility, and some of those dollars will undoubtedly go to a player they’ll look to build around for the long haul.

Brogan Houston of Deseret News shared a note from Utah General Manager Bill Armstrong earlier, indicating the team will look to begin extension negotiations with center Logan Cooley this summer. Cooley becomes eligible for an extension on July 1st, as he enters the last season of his three-year entry-level contract signed in 2023.

There’s no questioning the desire for an extension from Utah’s perspective. Cooley has been flat-out electric since jumping from collegiate to professional, scoring 45 goals and 109 points through his first 157 contests, with a 19-point improvement year-on-year. All four of Utah’s top-scoring forwards are signed to contracts at or below $7.15MM per year, so they may be ready to make Cooley their highest-paid player as well.

Other updates out of Utah:

  • Just over two weeks ago, Armstrong suggested that Utah’s two 2023 first-round selections, Daniil But and Dmitri Simashev, might debut for the team next season. In a follow-up, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports received confirmation from Armstrong today that the team would begin contract negotiations with the pair once their KHL season had concluded. Those negotiations could start relatively soon, given that their current team, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, will play Avangard Omsk in Game 7 of Round Two of the Gagarin Cup playoffs on Wednesday.
  • After notching 78 assists in his last 146 games, much was expected from Matias Maccelli this season. Unfortunately, the 2024-25 season became one to forget, as Maccelli finished with eight goals and 18 points in 55 contests, becoming a frequent healthy scratch. The diminished production sparked trade rumors regarding Maccelli around the deadline, and that doesn’t appear likely to fade this offseason. Concerning Maccelli’s future with the organization, Belle Fraser of The Salt Lake Tribune quoted Armstrong saying, “We’ve got some evaluation to do. Your team becomes better every year. There are certain things that happen — sometimes your players have to keep up, sometimes roles change.“
  • Fraser also received a quote from Armstrong about netminder Connor Ingram’s status, who entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on March 9th. Armstrong said, “A lot of it is unknown. When players go into the program, we don’t have any contact with him so it’s hard for us to speculate. The good news for us as we sit here in this room is we know he is in a good place at the program. We wish him the best.” Ingram’s starting status for Utah’s 2025-26 season is uncertain, but he is signed through next season with a cap hit of $1.95MM.

Utah’s Connor Ingram Enters NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program

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Utah goaltender Connor Ingram entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program today and will be out indefinitely, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports. In a corresponding move, the club recalled netminder Jaxson Stauber from AHL Tucson earlier Sunday.

Ingram, now 27, missed most of the 2020-21 season after entering the program while a member of the Predators organization. He later told NHL.com’s Amalie Benjamin that he sought help after dealing with undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder throughout his career. After moving to the Coyotes in the 2022 offseason, he emerged as their starter for the 2023-24 campaign and won the Masterton Trophy for the “player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey” after a 23-win, six-shutout campaign.

Now the No. 2 option to Karel Vejmelka in Utah, Ingram missed over a month with the team initially termed an upper-body injury earlier in the season. Upon his return, he informed reporters his mother had passed away and, understandably, took extended time off (via Belle Fraser of the Salt Lake Tribune).

In 22 starts for the Club this season, Ingram has a 9-8-4 record, .882 SV%, and a 3.27 GAA. The 25-year-old Stauber has done quite well when called upon to elevate from his minor-league starting role, posting a .925 SV% and 2.23 GAA in four appearances earlier this season.

All of us at Pro Hockey Rumors wish Ingram the best as he takes time away from the lineup. He’ll be eligible to return to play upon the determination of program administrators.

Utah Hockey Club Assign Jaxson Stauber To AHL

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Saturday: Stauber has been returned to the Roadrunners, per a team announcement.  That means Ingram will be available to dress tonight versus Los Angeles.

Tuesday: According to the AHL transactions site, the Utah Hockey Club has recalled third-string netminder Jaxson Stauber from their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. The recall likely means that goaltender Connor Ingram hasn’t fully recovered from the upper-body injury suffered in the team’s last game before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

After taking a high shot from Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin, Ingram left the game after 12:38 of ice time. Utah’s head coach, André Tourigny didn’t provide any recovery timeline for Ingram other than saying, “No, I don’t know what his status is at this point. He will be evaluated, but we’ll see.”

Stauber has largely played in the AHL in his first year outside the Chicago Blackhawks organization. Still, he was recalled to the NHL in late November due to another upper-body injury to Ingram. Many of the starts went to Karel Vejmelka over that stretch but Stauber still managed a 2-1-1 record in four starts with a .925 save percentage and 2.23 goals-against average.

That likely beat expectations that the Utah coaching staff had for Stauber considering his relatively modest production in AHL Tucson. Matt Villalta has been the primary starter for the Roadrunners this season but Stauber has still gotten involved in 14 contests. The Wayzata, Minnesota, native has secured an 8-5-2 record in those 14 games with a .901 SV% and 3.07 GAA.

Snapshots: Ullmark, Milano, Utah

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While Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark was supposed to get the start in tonight’s 4 Nations Face-Off finale for Sweden, that’s no longer the case.  Aftonbladet’s Hans Abrahamsson first reported that the netminder is sick and won’t suit up versus Team USA.  With Filip Gustavsson leaving Saturday’s game early with an illness as well, it will be Samuel Ersson who gets the nod.  Ullmark was widely expected to be Sweden’s starter for this event but will wind up playing in just two periods overall, taking the overtime loss versus Finland.  The outcome of this game will have no bearing on Thursday’s final as that will be a matchup of Canada and Team USA after Canada won their game in regulation this afternoon over Finland.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Sammi Silber of The Hockey News relays that while Capitals winger Sonny Milano was skating in a non-contact jersey before the 4 Nations break, he’s still a ways away from returning to the lineup. The 28-year-old suffered an upper-body injury in his third game of the season and hasn’t played since.  Assuming he’ll see some time with AHL Hershey on a conditioning assignment, it’s possible that Milano won’t be back until after the trade deadline when roster maximum sizes are no longer in effect.
  • In an interview with Craig Morgan on Utah HC’s team site, GM Bill Armstrong indicated that there’s a chance that they could have all their injured players back coming out of the break. Center Logan Cooley suffered a lower-body injury at the end of January while blueliner Sean Durzi (shoulder) has been out since mid-October; getting both of them back would be a big boost for their attack.  Meanwhile, defenseman Robert Bortuzzo (lower body) has missed more than a month while goalie Connor Ingram left the final game before the break with an upper-body issue so it appears they’re close to returning as well.
  • From that same interview, Armstrong suggested that Utah has already done most of its team building already from the summer and early-season trade activity so the team is “already built to some degree”. They have six games left before the trade deadline and are six points out of the final Wild Card spot so being buyers would be a bit of a surprise.  With that in mind, instead of team building, they could be doing some trimming with centers Alexander Kerfoot and Nick Bjugstad, blueliners Ian Cole and Olli Maatta, and goaltender Karel Vejmelka among the long list of pending unrestricted free agents this summer.

Utah Hockey Club Recalls Connor Ingram, Reassigns Jaxson Stauber

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The Utah Hockey Club has recalled goaltender Connor Ingram from his conditioning stint in the minor leagues. Ingram was assigned to the minors in late December, after recovering from an upper-body injury suffered on November 18th. He has sat out of Utah’s last 22 games, and made his return to the lineup in the Tucson Roadrunners’ Wednesday win over the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Ingram saved 29 of 30 shots in that game, good for a .967 save percentage in his first AHL game since the 2021-22 campaign.

Ingram will return to a very different goaltending room. He served as Arizona’s starter last season, posting a 23-21-3 record and .907 save percentage across 50 appearances. That was enough for Ingram to hold onto the starting role through the franchise’s move to Utah, but he came out of the gates ice-cold in his new setting. Ingram posted a measly .871 save percentage and 6-4-3 record in 13 games prior to his injury. That poor performance put all the momentum behind Karel Vejmelka as he stepped into the starting role in Ingram’s absence and looked to reclaim stake of Utah’s starter’s crease. Vejmelka has seemed to do just that, posting a .915 record and 8-7-3 record since Ingram’s injury. Vejmelka has slowed down in his last handful of games – evident by a 1-4-1 record and .907 Sv% in his last six – but he’s nonetheless made a strong claim to hold onto the starting role. Both goaltenders have plenty of experience serving as an NHL starter, and how Utah decides between them could define the team’s push for a Western Conference wild card.

To make room for Ingram’s return, Utah has also assigned goaltender Jaxson Stauber back to the minor leagues. Stauber played in four games while filling in for Ingram. He recorded a 2-1-1 record and .925 save percentage, bringing his career totals up to a 7-2-1 record and .916 save percentage in 10 NHL games. Stauber has been just as productive in the minors, going 5-2-0 and setting a .930 in seven games with Tucson this season.

Utah Loans Connor Ingram To AHL, Places Robert Bortuzzo On IR

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The Utah Hockey Club have assigned goaltender Connor Ingram to the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners on a conditioning loan. Ingram has missed Utah’s last 18 games with an upper-body injury. He was placed on injured reserve on November 20th and returned to skating on December 14th. He’ll now head to the AHL to take the next steps in his recovery.

In a corresponding move, Utah has also placed defenseman Robert Bortuzzo on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. The move is retroactive to the date of Bortuzzo’s last game on December 10th. He left that match halfway through the second period after being spilled into the boards by Minnesota Wild forward Devin Shore. Bortuzzo is out indefinitely, though his move to IR clears the roster space to activate Ingram after his conditioning stint.

Ingram served as Utah’s starter prior to his injury, but performed uncharacteristically poorly – recording a .871 save percentage and 3.61 goals-against-average in 13 games, both career-lows. He stood much taller in Utah’s starting net last season, recording a .907 Sv%, a 2.91 GAA, and six shutouts across 50 games in what was Ingram’s first season as a full-time NHL starter. He could now lose the job just one year later, with Utah’s backup Karel Vejmelka posting an impressive .917 Sv%, 2.33 GAA, and 7-6-2 record in 15 games since Ingram’s injury. Vejmelka should hang onto his starting role even as Ingram returns, though Utah could get the perk of riding the hot hand if Ingram is able to bounce back to form.

Central Notes: Manson, Gustafsson, Ehlers, Utah

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Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson could return to the lineup during the team’s current three-game road trip (as per Avalanche play-by-play man Conor McGahey). Manson has been dealing with an upper-body issue and won’t suit up tonight when Colorado takes on the Vancouver Canucks. However, he could dress on Thursday or Friday when Colorado plays back-to-back against Anaheim and San Jose. Manson is currently on the injured reserve, meaning that the Avalanche will need to make a roster move before activating the 33-year-old.

Manson hasn’t played since leaving a game on November 29th against Dallas and has played 24 games on the season, posting one goal and five assists. He had one of his better offensive seasons last year, tallying 25 points in 76 games, but he has struggled this year with turnovers, giving the puck away 42 times already, which is one off from his total for all of last season.

In other Central Division notes:

  • Winnipeg Jets colour analyst Mitchell Clinton tweeted that Jets head coach Scott Arniel told the media that injured forwards David Gustafsson and Nikolaj Ehlers both skated today in what is the next step towards a return to action. The 24-year-old Gustafsson skated in a non-contact jersey, his first time back on the ice since he suffered a concussion in a fight on December 10th. Ehlers was in a regular jersey as he tried to get back in the lineup after missing eight games. The 28-year-old hasn’t played since November 29th and is likely day by day at this point.
  • Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram and defenseman Robert Bortuzzo are not close to returning to action (according to Belle Fraser of the Salt Lake Tribune). Ingram did not practice today after he spent some time skating over the weekend and will be off the ice for the next little bit. The 35-year-old Bortuzzo didn’t have much better news as he remains sidelined with a lower-body injury that he suffered on December 10th against the Minnesota Wild.  Utah remains without several key defensemen, including Bortuzzo, John Marino and Sean Durzi.

Central Notes: Zuccarello, Brodin, Bortuzzo, Ingram

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Sarah McLellan of Star Tribune Sports tweeted that Minnesota Wild forward Mats Zuccarello and defenseman Jonas Brodin skated with the team yesterday but there is currently no timetable for a return. Zuccarello has been out with a lower-body injury and hasn’t played since November 14th, a stretch of 12 games. Brodin, on the other hand, last played on November 25th as he tries to recover from an upper-body injury that has kept him on the sidelines for seven games.

The 37-year-old Zuccarello is having another solid season for Minnesota, tallying six goals and eight assists in 16 games, while Brodin was having one of his better offensive seasons with two goals and six assists in 19 games.

The Wild currently sit second in the Central Division with a 19-6-4 record.

In other Central Division Notes:

  • The Utah Hockey Club announced that defenseman Robert Bortuzzo is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The 35-year-old was hurt on Tuesday night in a game against Minnesota and will not join his teammates on their two-game road trip. The 14-year NHL veteran has averaged the lowest ice time of his career since his rookie season in Pittsburgh and has been sheltered in his 15 appearances this season. Bortuzzo has two assists this season and has a -2 plus/minus along with 15 turnovers.
  • Utah Hockey Club head coach Andre Tourigny told the media yesterday that goaltender Connor Ingram is not fit to play this week, although the netminder did practice yesterday morning (as per Belle Fraser of the Salt Lake Tribune). Ingram was placed on IR back on November 20th due to an upper-body injury and hasn’t dressed since November 18th. The 27-year-old hasn’t been able to find his game this season and has struggled, posting a goals saved above expected of -10.9 (as per Money Puck) as well as a .871 save percentage and a 3.61 goals-against average.

West Notes: Stone, Skinner, Ingram, Daccord, Yager

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The Golden Knights could be getting their top winger back relatively soon.  Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal relays (Twitter link) that Mark Stone took part in practice today in a non-contact jersey.  The 32-year-old got off to his best offensive start, recording six goals and 15 assists in the first 13 games of the season before suffering a lower-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup for the last three weeks.  Stone is only on regular injured reserve, not LTIR so he doesn’t have to miss at least 10 games before being activated; he can be re-added to the roster as soon as he gets the green light from team doctors.

More from the Western Conference:

  • The NHL announced that Oilers winger Jeff Skinner has been fined $2K for embellishment. It’s the second time he has been flagged for that this season with the first only drawing a warning.  The 32-year-old has struggled in his first year with Edmonton, notching just four goals and four assists in 24 games while averaging just 13:38 per game, a career-low ATOI.
  • Utah Hockey Club netminder Connor Ingram is not close to returning to the lineup, head coach Andre Tourigny told reporters including Cole Bagley of KSL Sports (Twitter link). The reigning Masterton Trophy winner had a rocky start to his season, posting a 3.61 GAA with a .871 SV%, a 36-point drop in that category compared to 2023-24.  Ingram sustained an upper-body injury last month and was only ruled out for their road trip at that time but clearly, he’ll be out for a while yet.
  • While Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord was a speculative candidate to make Canada’s roster for the 4 Nations Cup since he holds Canadian citizenship, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported over the weekend that this is not the case. Daccord does not have a Canadian passport which is one of the eligibility criteria for the tournament.  However, it’s expected that he will get one in the near future, making him eligible to be named as a replacement should one of the three netminders named on Wednesday get injured leading up to the event.  Regardless of whether he suits up in this event, he remains eligible to play for Canada, the United States, and Switzerland internationally.
  • Jets prospect Brayden Yager is on the move in the WHL. Lethbridge announced that they’ve acquired the center as part of a five-player, six-pick trade with Moose Jaw.  The 19-year-old was drafted 14th overall by Pittsburgh in 2023 and was flipped to Winnipeg in the Rutger McGroarty trade over the offseason.  Yager had 30 points in 21 games prior to the swap and projects to be an impact player for Canada at the upcoming World Juniors.

Utah Recalls Jaxson Stauber, Places Connor Ingram On IR

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Nov. 21: Ingram was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday night, per the NHL’s media site. It was a necessary move to open the roster space for Stauber. The move rules Ingram out for Utah’s next three games, but he’ll be eligible to return next Tuesday against the Canadiens.

Nov. 20: Utah netminder Connor Ingram is dealing with an upper-body injury and didn’t travel with the team on their four-game road trip set to kick off tomorrow in Boston, the team announced. He’s listed as day-to-day while undergoing further evaluation, so the team has recalled Jaxson Stauber from AHL Tucson under emergency conditions to serve as Karel Vejmelka’s backup between the pipes for the trip.

The 27-year-old Ingram has started 13 of Utah’s first 18 games, but he’s only played in one of the last three and was pulled against the Capitals on Monday after allowing four goals on 13 shots. After tying for the league lead in shutouts last season with six, he’s been one of the worst starters in the NHL this year with a .871 SV%, 3.61 GAA, and -9.9 GSAA despite his 6-4-3 record.

He’s at serious risk of at least falling back into a tandem split with Vejmelka upon his return, although if he’s been battling this injury for a while, it could explain the poor play. Utah has only won one of Vejmelka’s five starts this year, but the Czech netminder is on pace for the best campaign of his four-year NHL career with a .915 SV% and 2.58 GAA, saving 2.6 goals above average.

The first-year club has put up exemplary possession numbers at 5-on-5 despite injuries to core defensemen Sean Durzi and John Marino, but a 30th-ranked power play and Ingram’s struggles have bound them to a 7-8-3 record. There’s still plenty of time for the former Coyotes to make the playoffs in their first season in Salt Lake, but they’re four points back of the Canucks for the second wild-card spot in the West and still have to leapfrog the Avalanche, Kraken and Ducks. The Athletic currently projects their record to improve back over .500 but not by much, ranking fifth in the Central with a 25% chance at postseason action.

Meanwhile, Stauber comes up after an attention-grabbing start to his first season in the Utah organization. Signed to a two-way deal in free agency after being non-tendered by the Blackhawks, the 25-year-old has a sparkling .930 SV%, 2.29 GAA and a 5-2-0 record in seven games with Tucson. The Minnesota native has six games of NHL experience, posting a 5-1-0 record with Chicago back in 2022-23 with a strong .911 SV%, 2.81 GAA and 1.3 GSAA.

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