Swedish ice hockey player Noel Nordh has become the first player to sign a contract with the new NHL club Utah, reports nhl.com.
The 19-year-old forward from Söderhamn, a dark horse in this context, was Arizona's third pick in the 2023 NHL draft. He scored 15 points in HockeyAllsvenskan for Brynäs last season.
In April, it became clear that NHL club Arizona Coyotes would be relocating to Salt Lake City in the state of Utah from next season. It is not yet clear what the new club will be called, but during its debut season in the NHL, the club will play with a temporary jersey marked Utah while awaiting finalisation of the brand.
Arizona Coyotes has been bought by businessman Ryan Smith, who already owns NBA club Utah Jazz. The previous owner could not secure a playing venue other than the subpar Mullett Arena, which is unsuitable for NHL games.
