Tij Iginla chosen 6th overall in NHL Draft
As expected, Tij Iginla was chosen in the first round of the NHL Draft.
Utah Hockey Club made history on Friday night, using their first-ever NHL Draft pick in franchise history to select the Kelowna Rockets forward.
Iginla became the second-highest Rocket to be drafted into the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs picked Luke Schenn fifth overall in 2008. He’s the 11th Rocket and the first since 2019 to hear their name called during the first round.
Regan’s Take: We knew Tij would go high, but the belief was the Calgary Flames would pluck him off the board at number nine, but Utah had other ideas. The concern with Iginla going to a weak team, which is relocating from Arizona to Utah in 2024-2025, is forcing a prospect into an NHL lineup prematurely. I can’t see how Iginla won’t get a good look at training camp in the fall and will see more NHL pre-season games than most players his age, still 18, he is best served to play on a really good Kelowna Rockets team this season and to attempt to play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships. While Utah has an excitable new owner and a fanbase that is licking their lips at a new high end prospect, lets see if the team that finished with just 36 victories in 82 games shows they are as smart dealing with the young player now, as they were by choosing him so high in the draft.
Can’t wait for Tij , Andrew, Caden. and Hiroki to tear it up this year !! 🙂
They will be scary to watch….but in a good way. That is a lot of firepower in a group that gets better with age. My belief is they can challenge for a BC Division title this season with Prince George.