Insider: Salt Lake City to Make Blockbuster Trades and Free-Agent Signings

The Salt Lake hockey franchise may not have a nickname quite yet but there's already reports flying out from hockey insiders that once it's announced that the Arizona Coyotes are indeed moving to Utah, likely within a weeks time, look for ownership to completely change the direction of the franchise.

Instead of what we're used to in Arizona, piling up draft picks and not spending to the ceiling of the salary cap, look for owner Ryan Smith to push for the team to move several of their upcoming draft picks for NHL talent and for the team to be very active with the big name free agents.

Friedman on 32TP says he expects the new Utah team to be very aggressive in free agency and trades, expects new owner Ryan Smith to spend money. They got a good cap situation, they are loaded with picks and prospects as well.
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) April 12, 2024

The franchise enters the 2024 NHL Entry Draft with all three of their first round picks the next three drafts, as well as 10 second-rounders to work with. Their projected cap space entering next season is $41.4 million which means they could be in the market for several top name free agents.

The 2024 free-agent class does have some big names including the likes of Steven Stamkos, Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, Tyler Toffoli, Jonathan Marchessault, Max Domi, Patrick Kane, as well as some intriguing restricted free agents including Moritz Seider, Martin Necas, Quinton Byfield, Seth Jarvis, and Lucas Raymond. There's also Jeremy Swayman and Ilya Samsonov to consider on the goalie market. Whether any of these players have interest in joining a new franchise is anyone's guess at this point.

Interesting times to say the least as there's already been talks about the franchise moving, but the Arizona ownership group also being given five years to get their ducks in a row on a new arena and then the NHL may reconsider giving them an expansion franchise. More questions than answers at this point as the next week will be telling sign of what's to come. For now, land of the unknown, even for some of the Coyotes players:

"We don't know anything more than what everyone else is seeing."

Lawson Crouse spoke to the media at today's morning skate in Edmonton.

🎥 @ArizonaCoyotes pic.twitter.com/7CIVtJzBjy
— PHNX Coyotes (@PHNX_Coyotes) April 12, 2024