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Utah Signs Andrew Agozzino, Travis Barron To Two-Way Deals

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Utah is bringing in some more minor-league reinforcements ahead of their first season. Journeyman forward Andrew Agozzino has inked a two-year, two-way deal, while ex-Coyotes minor league winger Travis Barron will remain with AHL Tucson next season on a one-year, two-way deal as they switch affiliations from Arizona to Utah. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Agozzino, 33, is a premier AHL scoring forward and often sits high on the list of potential recalls with whatever club he happens to be signed with. He’s bounced around plenty of times throughout his career, with Utah becoming the sixth different team he’s signed an NHL contract with and his fourth team in the past four years.

He spent last season with the Ducks but didn’t see NHL ice for the first time since 2017-18. He didn’t let it get him down, leading AHL San Diego in scoring with 26 goals and 64 points in 72 games. He won’t be much of a factor in the NHL for Utah in their inaugural campaign, but he’s an important reinforcement for Tucson and should be a first-line fixture for their minor league club.

Barron, 25, will stick around after spending the last three seasons on AHL and NHL contracts with the Roadrunners. A checking winger first and foremost, he’s contributed 29 goals and 62 points in 182 games for Tucson since signing with them in 2021. Utah becomes his third NHL team after previously signing deals with the Avalanche and Coyotes – he was a Colorado seventh-round pick back in 2016 and suited up for their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles in parts of three seasons.

Utah now has 37 standard player contracts signed for 2024-25 after the moves, 13 short of the limit, per CapFriendly.

Minor Free Agent Signings: Central Division

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With over 180 deals signed during the first day of free agency yesterday, some smaller names may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Here’s a list of names that have inked two-way deals with Central Division clubs since the market opened yesterday, per CapFriendly. Some of these may have been included in our main coverage yesterday, while others went under the radar. All contracts carry the league-minimum $775K cap hit unless stated otherwise). Those listed here are likely to begin 2024-25 with each team’s AHL affiliate.

Chicago Blackhawks

none

Colorado Avalanche

F Joel Kiviranta (one year)

Dallas Stars

D Kyle Capobianco (two years)
F Cameron Hughes (one year)
F Kole Lind (one year)

Minnesota Wild

F Travis Boyd (one year)
D Joseph Cecconi (one year)
D Cameron Crotty (one year)
F Brendan Gaunce (two years)
G Troy Grosenick (one year)
F Ben Jones (two years)
F Devin Shore (one year)
F Reese Johnson (one year)

Nashville Predators

D Nick Blankenburg (two years)
F Vinnie Hinostroza (two years)
F Jake Lucchini (two years)
G Matt Murray (one year)

St. Louis Blues

none

Utah Hockey Club

D Kevin Connauton (two years)
F Miko Matikka (three years, $870K entry-level cap hit)

Winnipeg Jets

none

Utah Signs Ian Cole, Kevin Stenlund, Kevin Connauton

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The Utah Hockey Club continues to add on defense. They’re bringing in veteran Ian Cole on a one-year, $3.1MM contract, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Later, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Utah is adding center Kevin Stenlund on a two-year deal worth $2MM per season. Dreger adds they’re signing defenseman Kevin Connauton to a two-year, two-way deal worth $775K.

Utah marks Cole’s sixth team in the last five years. The 35-year-old defenseman spent last season on a one-year pact with the Canucks, where he served as a serviceable bottom-four shutdown blue-liner. In 78 regular-season appearances, he had 11 points and a +10 rating while averaging 18:41 per game. While his possession metrics were strong for his difficult defensive usage, he had some difficult moments in the postseason and was viewed as a more unlikely candidate to re-sign in Vancouver than names like Filip Hronek and Tyler Myers.

In Utah’s first year, Cole projects to slide into a bottom-pairing role on the left side behind Mikhail Sergachev and Juuso Välimäki, although he can play the right side if necessary. He’ll be relied on heavily to swallow penalty kill minutes and help absorb the loss of top PKers Travis Dermott and J.J. Moser, who aren’t returning after spending last season with the Coyotes.

Stenlund, meanwhile, earns the biggest payday of his life after centering the Panthers’ fourth line in their run to the 2024 Stanley Cup. After spending a few seasons bouncing between the NHL and AHL, he cemented a full-time roster spot in Florida this season and missed just one regular-season game, recording a career-high 11 goals and 15 points in the process. Like Cole, he won’t have much of an impact offensively but should work alongside existing forwards Nick Bjugstad, Lawson Crouse and Alexander Kerfoot as Utah’s top-used forwards shorthanded.

Connauton, meanwhile, is slated for minor-league minutes with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. The 6’2″, 205-lb defender spent last season with the Ontario Reign while under contract with the Kings, serving as an alternate captain and logging 18 points and a +18 rating in 61 games. He previously played a pair of games for Tucson while a member of the Coyotes organization in the 2016-17 campaign, posting a goal and two assists. The 34-year-old brings 360 games of NHL experience across 10 seasons should his services be needed in Salt Lake.

Utah Signs Sean Durzi To Four-Year Extension

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The Utah Hockey Club has signed defenseman Sean Durzi to a four-year contract extension (Twitter link). The new deal will carry a $6MM cap hit, per Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff (Twitter link), who also mentions that this term buys two years of UFA eligibility.

This move continues a busy weekend for Utah general manager Bill Armstrong, who’s already made moves to trade into the first-round and acquire both Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino. Armstrong will now solidify the top of his blue line by signing Durzi with term, just over one year after he acquired Durzi for the 2024 second-round pick used on Alfons Freij.

Durzi proceeded to have a statement year with the Arizona Coyotes, tallying a career-high 41 points in 76 games as the team’s top defenseman. He averaged nearly 23 minutes of ice time every night, serving on both special teams. The performance continued Durzi’s rise to fame over the last three seasons. Durzi, a 2018 second-round pick, made his NHL debut with the Los Angeles Kings in 2021 after three modest years in the AHL. But he showed up to southern California ready to play, ultimately recording 27 points in 64 games and pulling his way up to an average of 19 minutes a night as a rookie. He continued the growth as a sophomore, recording 38 points in 72 games while holding onto his strong role in the lineup.

Durzi’s growth didn’t slow down with a move to Arizona and the club is now betting it won’t slow in the move to Utah either. Durzi stands as Utah’s top right-defenseman and could be set for a prime role next to Sergachev, pending any summer additions. After this extension and their pair of trades, Utah is entering the summer with $22.265MM in cap space and five pending free agents, including Barrett Hayton. That should put them in a great spot to continue their run of strong additions when free agency opens up on Monday.

Utah Signs Juuso Valimaki To Two-Year Extension

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7:50 PM: TSN’s Chris Johnston reports Valimaki will earn an AAV of $2MM on his new deal.

5:09 PM: Continuing with a busy day on the blue line, the Utah Hockey Club has agreed to a two-year contract with pending restricted free-agent defenseman Juuso Valimaki. The team did not disclose any financial terms regarding the deal.

Even with Valimaki likely sliding down the depth chart today with the team’s addition of Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning and John Marino from the New Jersey Devils, the young defenseman may excel in a more limited role. During the 2022-23 NHL season, Valimaki scored four goals and 34 points in 78 games while averaging 18:11 of ice time per night, and saw his production slip to two goals and 17 points in 10 fewer games played while averaging more than a minute more of ice time per game.

Although it is unlikely, if all things stay the same on the blue line for Utah, Valimaki should be able to partake in a top-four role on the left side of the defensive core. However, there are rumblings that even after the trades today, Utah is still interested in Brandon Montour once he hits the free-agent market on Monday (X Link). If the organization can land Montour, they would likely shift Sean Durzi to the left side while demoting Valimaki to a bottom-pairing role.

Whatever the case may be, Utah has dramatically improved its defensive core over the last 24 hours. Despite the probable demotion coming to Valimaki on the depth chart, he is a flexible defenseman with the ability to play in nearly any situation.

Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports was the first to report that Utah and Valimaki had agreed on an extension. 

Utah Hockey Club Acquires John Marino

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The Utah Hockey Club has traded for defenseman John Marino and Pick 153 in the 2024 NHL Draft from the New Jersey Devils, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (Twitter link). In return, the Devils receive Pick 49 and the Edmonton Oilers’ 2025 second-round pick. LeBrun mentions that this opens space for the Devils to sign Brett Pesce when free agency opens on Monday.

Rumors about Marino’s availability kicked into high gear in the week ahead of the draft, as New Jersey became tied to Pesce. It seems that is the path the team will head down, now boasting $19.654MM in cap space, after moving Marino’s $4.4MM bill. That should be plenty enough to beckon Pesce away from Carolina, where he’s so far spent his entire career, though New Jersey will also have to keep their seven pending free agents in mind. That list is headlined by Dawson Mercer, who established a dominant role in the team’s top-six over the course of his entry-level contract. He should be due for a substantial pay raise, though once Mercer is re-signed New Jersey will have their core of Mercer, Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, and Dougie Hamilton signed for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, Marino will join Mikhail Sergachev as Utah’s newest defenders – and may even play next to the former Lightning on the team’s top line. Marino recorded four goals and 25 points in 75 games this season, falling just one point shy of the career-high he set in 56 games as a rookie. He’s proven reliable through his tenure with the Devils, after joining the team in July of 2022. New Jersey traded Ty Smith and a 2023 third-round pick to Pittsburgh for Marino – since deploying him in a consistent and reliable second-pair role. But Marino seems to have upside left to give, and could find his stride on a Utah blue-line with plenty of space.

Utah Hockey Club Acquires Mikhail Sergachev

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The Utah Hockey Club have acquired defenseman Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning, in exchange for defenseman J.J. Moser, forward prospect Conor Geekie, and a second-round draft pick, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The first blockbuster of the draft has hit, as Tampa Bay parts with a top-line defender and moves out $8.5MM in cap space. That should make their pursuit of franchise centerman Steven Stamkos a bit more manageable. Stamkos was reportedly set for the open market on July 1st, with the Lightning holding just $5.335MM in cap space. That number is now up to $16.5MM – a massive difference – after the Lightning also moved Tanner Jeannot and his $2.665MM cap hit to the Los Angeles Kings.

And while the cap space is surely what Tampa was looking for, they’ll reel in a strong return for parting with Sergachev. That includes Moser, who’s filled a strong second-pairing role for the Arizona Coyotes since his second-round selection in 2021. Still just 24, Moser has already totaled 205 career games and 72 points – including 26 points in 80 games this year. He’s a swift, confident defender on and off the puck, showing a knack for controlling traffic along his own blue line.

Tampa also receives top prospect Conor Geekie, the 11th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. He’s since played through his final two seasons in the WHL, recording 99 points in just 55 games split between the Wenatchee Wild and Swift Current Broncos this season. Not to be outdone, Geekie also added nine points in nine postseason games. He’s a big-frame forward, standing at 6-foot-4 and 197 pounds. He’s improved his ability to move that weight around substantially since his draft year looking much more fluid moving with the puck on his stick this season. Geekie signed his entry-level contract following the end of Swift Current’s year, setting him up for his first pro season in 2024-25.

And in return for their pretty penny, Utah receives a true top defenseman – finally ending a search that’s taken them through Jakob Chychrun, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Sean Durzi. None of the options could fill the role, though, leading Utah to pull in the understudy to Lightning star Victor Hedman. Sergachev has served in a vital role for the Lightning since a 2017 trade for forward Jonathan Drouin. He recorded 40 points in 79 games in his rookie season with Tampa Bay, quickly claiming a large share of ice time that he hasn’t relinquished since. Sergachev recorded at least 30 points in each of his next four seasons before posting a career-high 10 goals and 64 points in the 2022-23 season. It was the breakout that fans had been waiting for – though his encore this season was cut short by a pair of long-term leg injuries. He’ll now have to carry on his performance in a new jersey, joining the NHL’s newest franchise.

Utah Hockey Club Acquires 24th Overall Pick From Colorado

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The Utah Hockey Club has acquired the 24th overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for the 38th and 71st overall picks, as well as a second-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft (X Link).

Using the pick, Utah selected Cole Beaudoin from the Barrie Colts in the Ontario Hockey League. By moving three draft picks to the Avalanche, Utah gained the ability to make their second selection of the day while Colorado trades out of the first round entirely.

Beaudoin took a big step forward in his second season with the Colts as the young forward scored 28 goals and 62 points in 67 games after scoring eight goals and 20 points a year before. Long-term, Beaudoin has the playstyle of a third-line forward but has the creativity to be an effective middle-six option at the NHL level. He carries a high motor and is never hesitant to engage in battles anywhere on the ice.

It is a bit surprising to see the Avalanche trade out of the first round, as the team is desperate for cheap NHL-ready talent. It is unlikely that Colorado could have found a player to immediately step into the lineup at this point in the first round, but it is apparent the team is looking for quantity over quality in this year’s draft. Because of the trade, Colorado will have to wait until tomorrow to make their first selection of the 2024 NHL Draft.

Utah Re-Signs Michael Kesselring To Two-Year Deal

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The Utah Hockey Club has agreed to terms with defenseman Michael Kesselring on a two-year contract, the team announced today. Per Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the contract is worth $2.8MM, which is good for a $1.4MM cap hit.

Kesselring, 24, is coming off a strong rookie season that saw him post five goals, 16 assists, 21 points and a +11 rating with 66 PIMs on the Coyotes blue line. A sixth-round pick of the Oilers in 2018, Edmonton traded Kesselring to Arizona at the 2023 deadline as part of a deal for center Nick Bjugstad.

He was having a strong season with AHL Bakersfield at the time, racking up 13 goals and 22 points in 49 games. After his acquisition, he made his NHL debut with the Yotes. The South Carolina native played in nine games to close out 2022-23, recording his first three major league assists.

Kesselring checks a lot of boxes as a right-shot defender with physicality and size, as well as some offensive upside. He’s one of the bigger bodies on the Utah roster at 6’4″ and 190 lbs and was one of many pending restricted free agents that general manager Bill Armstrong needs to re-up this summer. NHL regulars Sean Durzi, J.J. Moser and Juuso Välimäki all still need new deals.

After producing at a 26-point pace with good possession metrics, $1.4MM seems like a steal for his services, especially on a multi-year deal. Without much NHL experience to his name and virtually no special teams usage last season, though, he likely couldn’t have commanded much more. Evolving Hockey’s contract projection was in line with what Kesselring received in the end (two years, $1.353MM AAV).

With Utah looking to add multiple defensemen on the UFA market this summer, Kesselring will likely slot into a third-pairing role again next season after averaging 15:48 per game in 2023-24. While his effectiveness higher up in the lineup is a question mark, he’s already shown the ability to crush bottom-pairing minutes.

Kesselring’s contract expires in 2026, but he will still have another year of team control and will be an arbitration-eligible RFA.

Utah Expected To Sign Miko Matikka To Entry-Level Deal

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The Utah Hockey Club is expected to sign right-wing prospect Miko Matikka to his entry-level contract this offseason, reports Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald.

Matikka, 20, was one of the bevy of reserve list players transferred from the Coyotes to Utah when their hockey operations were officially sold to Smith Entertainment Group earlier this month. He was a third-round pick of the Coyotes (67th overall) in 2022, the draft that landed them Logan Cooley, Conor Geekie and Maveric Lamoureux in the first round.

The big-bodied Finn (6’3″, 201 lbs) had spent his draft year in the Finnish top junior league, recording 19 goals and 33 points in 30 games. That was it for him in his native country, though, as he came over to North America in 2022-23 to play for the USHL’s Madison Capitols and Waterloo Black Hawks after a midseason trade. After one season in U.S. juniors, he made the jump to the collegiate ranks, suiting up as a freshman for the University of Denver. He won a national championship on his first try with the Pios, playing a key depth scoring role with 20 goals and 33 points in 43 games.

It’s a tad surprising to see a day-two pick be one-and-done in college, but the organization and the player likely believe there will be more opportunity for development with Utah’s AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, next season. As indicated by Schlossman’s report, he projects to suit up there should he turn pro and ink his ELC this summer.

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