SALT LAKE CITY – While it wasn’t an official regular season NHL debut, recent first round draft pick Tij Iginla laced up his skates and put on the Utah Hockey Club sweater for the first time in his young career. Following his initial NHL minutes, Utah head coach André Tourigny and several of Iginla’s teammates were impressed with what they saw from the talented young forward.
Will his jersey be raised to the rafters here one day?#UtahHockeyClub #NHL pic.twitter.com/jfKRexVOgr
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) September 30, 2024
In 12 minutes on the ice, Iginla lived up to his draft expectations as he looked comfortable offensively, put some shots on net, demonstrated shifty puck handling skills and nearly registered an assist in his first game.
Throughout the night, Iginla’s quick hands were on full display as he deked his way through bodies with speed and precession. He also fired a few pucks on Colorado’s goal and consistently put himself in dangerous positions as he looked to score.
Related: The Hat Trick: Dylan Guenther, Clayton Keller Bury Avalanche In Dominant UHC Victory
Despite missing rookie camp, the rookie faceoff tournament and several key practice sessions during training camp, Iginla never looked out of place which caught the attention of Coach Tourigny.
Iginla beats Ingram low 🚨#UtahHockeyClub pic.twitter.com/wIb17rMo0Z
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) September 30, 2024
“I really like his skillset. He has good execution, he’s creative offensively. I think he was in a tough spot. He missed an important part of the camp where we were talking structure and all of it. So, he had to jump in the action without having a lot of reps…for an 18-year-old guy who did not have a lot of reps in our structure, I liked his game,” Tourigny said.
It’s one thing to impress the coaching staff during a press conference, but to receive high praise from a four-time All-Star like Clayton Keller paints an even better picture of just how talented Iginla already is.
As previously mentioned, the young prospect missed a majority of the key sessions and training opportunities during the first few days of camp due to an injury. However, in just a few short practices, Keller took notice of the recent draftee’s skillset and how talented he is offensively.
Clayton Keller on Tij Iginla: “He’s super talented. You can tell right away. He shoots it very good as well. The first couple skates I was surprised at how hard and good he shoots it. He’s going to be a special player…a guy I’m looking forward to playing with soon.”
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) September 30, 2024
“He’s super talented,” Keller told KSL Sports. “You can tell right away. He shoots it very good as well. The first couple skates I was surprised at how hard and good he shoots it. He’s going to be a special player…a guy I’m looking forward to playing with soon.”
How soon Iginla will be able to play with Keller is still yet to be determined. But if he can continue to perform at a similar level while improving his game it should be sooner rather than later.
As someone who just recently emerged from the prospect process and earned himself a sizable contract of $50 million over eight years, forward Dylan Guenther was also impressed with what he saw from Iginla.
Related: Report: Utah Hockey Club Nearing Extension With Dylan Guenther
“He’s a good player. He’s got a really good shot. He’s powerful, explosive, he’s going to be a good player. It’s tough, I mean juniors to the NHL is a huge jump, but I thought he looked good…as he continues to be around the team more and get more comfortable it’s only going to help him,” Guenther told KSL Sports.
In light of his recent contract and how he took the league by storm late last season after being called up from the AHL, Guenther had sound advice for Iginla and how he can reach the league as soon as possible.
“Just don’t be complacent. You come in and work your hardest every single practice. Every single game. You don’t practice a ton in the NHL so it’s important that when you are, you’re getting something out of it. So just getting something out of every game and every day,” Guenther added.
For now, Iginla will likely get a bit more time to demonstrate his skills during training camp before being sent back to the juniors for this season. If he can take full advantage of those opportunities and play well in another game situation if given the chance, it may shorten his path to the NHL.
The Utah Hockey Club will continue their preseason against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night at the SAP Center. The game can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
