SALT LAKE CITY – On Tuesday morning, Elite Prospects, one of the best statistical hockey resources, released a preview of the list of the 100 best NHL skaters. At number 9 was Tij Iginla, a 2024 first-round draft pick representing the Utah Hockey Club.
Tij Iginla from Utah comes in 9th place here.
This is a great list, especially in the top 10. Iginla has a lot of potential to become the future face of the franchise.
He is a very gifted offensive talent who can do a little bit of everything. https://t.co/1LrmX4Cug4
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) 27 August 2024
High award for Tij Iginla
As such, this list is a testament to the talent of young skaters, especially their jump into the top 10 and being considered one of the future faces of the NHL. At number 9 on the list, Iginla joins the ranks of players like Macklin Celebrini, Matvei Michkov, Ivan Demidov, Cayden Lindstrom and Cutter Gauthier, to name a few.
“Iginla can do it all,” explains the narrator of the video. “He’s a sharpshooter, a playmaker, a goal scorer up front, a dynamic attacker, a puck attacker, and that’s just on offense. Few players combine polish and function as well as Iginla.”
“This player has the potential to be one of the top six forwards in the NHL,” the narrator added.
Iginla’s abilities
As the video shows, Iginla can do it all. In 64 appearances for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL last season, Iginla absolutely set the opposing goal on fire with 47 goals and 37 assists.
With this performance, Iginla caught the attention of numerous NHL scouts and quickly climbed to the top of the first round.
Overall, Iginla was one of the best all-around players selected in the 2024 draft. Not only can he score in a variety of ways, but he also has really good hands that allow him to weave through defenses quickly. He also has top-notch positioning that allows him to consistently create dangerous opportunities for himself and others.
See also: Utah Hockey Club Prospect Profiles: Tij Iginla
Iginla’s expected arrival
Like most young players, Iginla will likely need more time to develop before he is fully ready for the NHL. Although he will participate in Utah’s rookie and training camps this season, Iginla is expected to return to Kelowna for another year.
If he continues to play at a high level, Iginla has a good chance of making Utah’s roster next season.
Utah Hockey Schedule
Fans can watch Iginla’s first game with the Utah Hockey Club on September 13 against Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks during the Rookie Tournament.
All rookie tournament games will be streamed live for free on UtahHockeyClub.com.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Stay up to date here on X. You can hear Cole’s analysis of the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
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