New Utah Professional Hockey Team To Get 6th Pick In June Draft
Professional hockey in Utah might presently be the biggest news across the Beehive State. Tuesday evening the National Hockey League held its annual draft lottery and the newest team locked in a top 10 pick.
Professional hockey has arrived in Utah. The official announcement came three weeks ago when the sports world learned that the Arizona Coyotes are relocating nearly 700 miles north to Salt Lake City. The deal was finalized between the NHL and Utah billionaire Ryan Smith, who also owns the Utah Jazz.
The draft lottery is what determines the order in which the top 16 teams with the worst records in the 2023-24 season will get to pick the brightest up-and-coming college and international players.
The May 7 NHL Draft Lottery took place at 6:30 P.M. (ET) The San Jose Sharks will get the first pick at the draft scheduled to take place at the new Las Vegas Sphere on June 28 and 29. The Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks were awarded the second and third picks.
The draft lottery is what determines the order in which the top 16 teams with the worst records in the 2023-24 season will get to pick the brightest up-and-coming college and international players. Last year, the Chicago Blackhawks got the number one pick and snagged Connor Bedard.
The San Jose Sharks, who had a dismal season and finished with the fewest wins, will likely select Canadian superstar Macklin Celebrini. The 17-year-old is the son of the Golden State Warriors head of sports medicine Rick Celebrini.
The 2024-25 hockey season will get underway on October 4. The playoffs are currently underway with the New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks still skating for a shot at being this year's Stanley Cup champion.
Utah's new team name has yet to be determined.
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