3 mistakes Utah NHL franchise should avoid to ensure long stay in league feat. not wasting cap space

The Arizona Coyotes have relocated to Utah starting with the 2024-25 NHL season. The Coyotes have struggled recently, not making the playoffs since the 2019-20 season, but there's a good foundation with young players and prospects coming.

However, if Utah is going to be a top team in the NHL, they must avoid some key mistakes.

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Three mistakes Utah NHL franchise should avoid

#1 Cap space

Cap space is the biggest and most important thing to monitor for NHL teams. The best teams in the NHL spend their cap space wisely, while some teams are hindered by poor contracts that plague them from getting better or being a Stanley Cup contender.

Utah enters the offseason with over $43 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly. It has plenty of cap space to work with, but just because they have it doesn't mean they have to use it.

Utah needs to be smart with how they spend their money and make sure they sign impact players.

#2 Draft well

The Coyotes did a decent job at drafting, landing Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther using first-round picks, and both are becoming impact players in the NHL.

However, having rookies play key minutes is a key to success, as they are cost-effective. Utah has seven picks in the first three rounds of the 2024 and 2025 NHL drafts and six in the first three rounds of the 2026 NHL draft.

If Utah can at least land impact NHL players with their first-round picks and solid depth guys with their second and third-round picks, it will set them up for success.

#3 Get a top defenseman

The key to success in the NHL is building up the middle, so having two good centers, two good defensemen and a good goalie.

Utah has a solid goalie in Connor Ingram and a No. 1 center in Logan Cooley but desperately needs top defensemen. In free agency, Utah should be active trying to land one of the top free agents in Brady Skeji, Brett Pesce or Brandon Montour.