The Utah Hockey Club is about to make its debut in the NHL. Following the sale of the Arizona Coyotes, the Utah HC officially entered the NHL following the 2023-24 season. Utah made a big splash at the NHL draft, trading for Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning to announce their arrival. After NHL Free Agency, there are also a few Utah trade candidates to consider.
Utah HC is in an interesting spot. They have one of the more promising cores in the league. Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther, and Sean Durzi are all 26 years old or younger. Combine them with the additions of Sergachev and defenseman John Marino, there's a team that could be very competitive here.
That said, this collection of players showed some fight early last season, too. The former Coyotes even competed for a playoff spot in the first half of the 2023-24 season. However, the Coyotes fell into a brutal slump as the relocation rumors grew louder.
Relocation is no longer a fear for these players, though. The Utah Hockey Club is here for the foreseeable future. But that doesn't mean every player from last year's Coyotes team will be long for Salt Lake City. Here are two potential Utah trade candidates to consider ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
Utah HC could sell high on Alex Kerfoot
Kerfoot signed with the Coyotes last summer after spending years with the Toronto Maple Leafs. His first year outside of Toronto since 2018-19 turned out to be a success all things told. He scored 13 goals and 45 points for Arizona last season.
Analytically, Kerfoot had strong offensive numbers, as well. He ranked within the top five for individual expected goals (19.87) among Coyotes forwards, according to Evolving Hockey. Additionally, he finished within the top-10 for goals for per 60 minutes (2.49).
The issue with Kerfoot is his defense. He ranked within the top five for highest goals against per 60 minutes (2.9) in 2023-24. Additionally, Kerfoot had the third-lowest on-ice save percentage (.902) among Coyotes forwards. Overall, his defense likely contributed to his 0.1 WAR despite his strong offensive year.
Utah HC could very well hold onto Kerfoot as they look to be more competitive. However, the former Maple Leafs star is entering unrestricted free agency in 2025. As a result, he should be considered among the potential Utah trade candidates for the 2024-25 season. Especially if the playoff push cannot be sustained.
Juuso Valimaki could enter Utah trade rumors
Juuso Valimaki joined the Coyotes ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. The former first-round pick failed to catch on with the Calgary Flames after being drafted. And Arizona took a chance that they could allow him to thrive.
His two years with the now-Utah HC have been successful. The Utah defenseman has scored six goals and 51 points in 146 games since joining the organization. Additionally, his ice time went from around 16 minutes in Calgary to over 19 minutes in 2023-24.
Analytically, Valimaki has turned in some strong performances. His defensive goals above replacement improved from 5.3 to 7.3 in 2023-24, according to Evolving Hockey. He also had the second-lowest goals against per 60 minutes (1.98) and the highest on-ice save percentage (.934) in 2023-24. Additionally, he has a 4.2 WAR over the last two seasons.
Valimaki signed a two-year contract extension with Utah HC this summer. However, they could also dangle him as part of a larger trade should they be contenders. Furthermore, if Utah is out of the playoffs and Valimaki remains strong, he could draw some of the highest interest among potential Utah trade candidates in 2024-25.
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