Utah Hockey Club has signed their sixth overall pick to an ELC. Tij Iginla signs his first-ever pro-hockey contract. Son of Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Jarome Iginla, Tij Iginla is the first-ever draft pick in Utah‘s franchise history.
Iginla Signs with Utah
Iginla is coming off of a great season in the WHL. In his first season with the Kelowna Rockets, he put up 84 points and 47 goals in 64 games played. He showed no signs of slowing down when it came to the WHL playoffs. In 11 games he scored nine goals and 15 points in his best effort to help his team win the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Ultimately, this was the season that earned Iginla his entry-level contract. However, they were eliminated in the second round by the Prince George Cougars in five games. The Moose Jaw Warriors went on to win the title and advance to the Memorial Cup.
This was the third season in which Iginla has appeared in junior hockey. Before being traded to Kelowna, the 17-year-old was a member of the Seattle Thunderbirds. He actually won the Ed Chynoweth Cup with the Thunderbirds in 2023, despite only playing three games in the post-season. A reason Iginla could’ve been traded was that there wasn’t enough room for him in Seattle. The Thunderbirds had a stacked lineup for the 2022-23 season. Dylan Guenther, Brad Lambert, Reid Schaefer and Kevin Korchinski all graced that lineup. Now, they are considered excellent prospects to their respected franchises.
What This Means
Typically, when a team signs a player to an ELC weeks after they were drafted, usually it means that they’d like to feature that player in the lineup at some point. This doesn’t mean that Iginla will play the full 82 games of the season after signing his first contract. However, it does mean we an expect him to make his NHL debut and maybe play a handful of games in the Show. Who knows, if he impresses head coach André Tourigny, maybe Utah fans will see more of him.
Therefore, it’s a fun time to be a Utah fan, Iginla signs his contract, they made big acquisitions around the draft, and now they’re preparing for their inaugural season in the NHL.
Main Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
