Brewin Flames Posted June 29 Share Posted June 29 Tij Iginla Drafted By Utah Hockey Club At No.6 | NHL Draft Analysis Tij Iginla was taken No. 6 by the Utah Hockey Club in the 2024 NHL Draft. Here's why. Jun 28, 2024 by Chris Peters Click to unmute Tig Iginla has elite hands, with quick puck skills and a deadly release. His rise up the draft charts has been fueled by his game improving with each passing month. Iginla has good details off the puck, where he can be disruptive to the opposing team. He has quickness and while there isn’t a ton of a physical edge to him, he engages with his body. Iginla also developed a goal-scorer’s touch, working to get pucks to the interior and scoring from higher-percentage areas. While he has center capabilities, it seems more likely he will be a wing where he can maximize the offensive tools that are so plainly evident in his game. Expectations are also being tempered a bit on Lindstrom because of the injuries he faced. NHL teams are going to be examining him closely especially since injuries at younger ages are particularly concerning for those that play the heavier, physical game that Lindstrom does. That said, the upside, especially as Lindstrom continues to grown and can gain experience to mitigate some of the hockey sense concerns, is going to entice teams away from some of those health concerns. If he hits, they could be looking at a top-of-the-lineup winger or solid No. 2 center. Why The Utah Hockey Club Drafted Tig Iginla At No. 6 Another shock pick here as Utah goes up and gets Tij Iginla despite there being a number of premium defensemen on the board. But when you look at what they're building in Utah and Arizona before it, there's a mix of skill and size. Iginla has good strength, excellent details in his offensive game and he makes plays. On top of that, he is committed physically, gets his stick in lanes and has that work ethic that should make him a solid two-way asset. I think his offense is more geared towards the wing than it would be as a center, but I really like the prospect and think he has a bright future ahead of him. Iginla was No. 12 on FloHockey's final list. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewin Flames Posted July 12 Author Share Posted July 12 Iginla signs entry-level contract, 1st draft pick in Utah history Forward, No. 6 pick in 2024, had 47 goals in WHL last season © Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images ByNHL.com @NHLdotcom July 11, 2024 Tij Iginla, the No. 6 pick of the 2024 NHL Draft and the first player to be selected by the Utah Hockey Club, signed a three-year, entry-level contract Thursday. Financial terms were not disclosed. "It was really cool to hear a big cheer when my name was called," Iginla said Tuesday during Utah development camp. "I think the fans have been so welcoming to the hockey club and to me as well. It looks like we're going to have some of the best fans in the League down the road and it should be a lot of fun." The 17-year-old forward was tied for sixth in the Western Hockey League last season with 47 goals in 64 games for Kelowna, and had 12 points (six goals, six assists) in seven games for Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Under-18 Championship to help them win a gold medal. "I told him when I met with him, I said, 'We've got a lot of 20-goal-scorers on our roster, we're looking for a 50-goal scorer. No pressure,'" Utah general manager Bill Armstrong said June 28. "We really love him, not only as a person but as a player. He has everything that we like." Iginla is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, and said a lot of his offseason will be continuing to work with his father on improving his game. "He's been huge for my development," Tij said Tuesday. "It’ll be good to get back home and keep working on all parts of my game with him, and then I got my brother and sister, so we get out on the ice lots and just kind of work on whatever we got for the day. "The focus is to just keep improving in all parts of my game. Just have a big summer and go into next season, whatever it is, and just keep trying to improve my game as much as I can." Iginla likely will spend at least one more season with Kelowna, where he is expected to be a full-time center after splitting last season between center and left wing. But the Utah player development staff already has been impressed. "I think the thing that stood out was the work ethic, high motor, and then just the willingness to play on the inside, which is critical in the NHL," Utah director of player development Lee Stempniak said. "That's where the goals are scored, and [he has] that willingness, which is great to see." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 Great pick for a franchise that will likely wipe the stench of the Yotes off pretty quickly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 On 7/12/2024 at 4:53 AM, flyercanuck said: Great pick for a franchise that will likely wipe the stench of the Yotes off pretty quickly. So will he be a wing or center?? Hayton at 1C. They already have Cooley at 2nd line center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 29 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said: So will he be a wing or center?? Hayton at 1C. They already have Cooley at 2nd line center. I imagine we'll see him playing both positions. Too bad they all shoot L...nice to be able to have a R draw for certain situations. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegx.ca Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 Till the end of time Utah is public enemy #1 damn Utah damn them all to hell for what they did to us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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