Utah Hockey Club signs first-ever draft pick, Tij Iginla

Field Level Media|published: Thu 11th July, 22:27 2024

Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Tij Iginla alongside father and NHL Hall of Fame player Jarome Iginla is selected with the 6th overall pick of the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Utah Hockey Club at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Tij Iginla signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Thursday with the Utah Hockey Club, who made the Canadian forward its first draft pick in franchise history at last month's NHL draft.

Iginla, 17, was the No. 6 overall pick by Utah, formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes. Terms of the deal were not released.

"It was really cool to hear a big cheer when my name was called," Iginla said at Utah development camp on Tuesday. "I think the fans have been so welcoming to the hockey club and to me as well. It looks like we're going to have some of the best fans in the league down the road, and it should be a lot of fun."

Iginla, whose father is Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, posted 84 points (47 goals, 37 assists) in 64 games last season for the Kelowna Rockets, a major junior team based in British Columbia.

The younger Iginla also posted six goals and six assists in seven games while helping Canada earn the gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

"I told him when I met with him, I said, 'We've got a lot of 20-goal-scorers on our roster, we're looking for a 50-goal scorer. No pressure,'" Utah general manager Bill Armstrong said last month. "We really love him, not only as a person but as a player. He has everything that we like."

Iginla is expected to play at Kelowna for at least another season and focus on being a full-time center after playing left wing and center last season.

This summer, the younger Iginla is working on improving his all-around game with his famous father.

"He's been huge for my development," Tij said Tuesday. "It'll be good to get back home and keep working on all parts of my game with him, and then I got my brother and sister, so we get out on the ice lots and just kind of work on whatever we got for the day.

"The focus is to just keep improving in all parts of my game. Just have a big summer and go into next season, whatever it is, and just keep trying to improve my game as much as I can."

--Field Level Media

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