Insider: Utah ready to make another splash with UFA defenseman

The Utah Hockey Club said it would aggressively strengthen its roster ahead of its first season in Salt Lake, and so far, it hasn’t disappointed. Two huge trades on Saturday allowed them to get a whole new pair of defensemen, as they acquired Mikhail Sergachev and Jean Marino.

But they’re not done improving their defense yet, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, who had this to say about Utah after the end of Day 2 of the draft:

I still think there are people who believe they’re going to take a gamble on Brandon Montour if he comes on the market from Florida.

“I’m not known for my patience,” Utah’s billionaire owner Ryan Smith said on the eve of the draft. That much is certainly clear at this point.

Montour is an unrestricted free agent who just helped the Panthers win the Stanley Cup. The 30-year-old right-shot defenseman just signed a three-year deal worth $3.5 million annually, but he’s expected to at least double his salary, if not more. AFP Analytics projects Montour will command an annual value of $7.7 million on a six-year deal.

He has seen a decline in his offensive game this season, recording 33 points in 66 games, after exploding for a 73-point campaign in 2022-23, but he will nonetheless be a wanted man if the Panthers fail to come back. -join him by Monday and he becomes a free agent. With the trade rumors surrounding Aaron Ekblad, it would be hard to imagine Florida letting Montour go as well. But strange things have happened and Ryan Smith is in hiding.

If Utah can land Montour and their big trades made on Saturday, they will have themselves a formidable top four defense, with whoever aligns with the new signings.