Utah HC signs former 5th overall pick to multi-year contract
Utah Hockey Club have locked up an important piece of their roster for the next couple of seasons, they announced on Monday afternoon.
On Monday, Utah Hockey Club General Manager Bill Armstrong shared that the team has agreed to terms on a two-year contract worth $5.3 million ($2.65 million cap hit) with restricted free agent forward Barrett Hayton.
Armstrong was full of praise for Barrett Hayton after the signing was announced, saying that the organization believes he can be a reliable two-way centerman and is strong in the face-off dot.
Coming into the final weekend of June, it was unclear if Barrett Hayton was going to be issued a qualifying offer by the team ahead of the 5 pm ET deadline on the 30th of the month. Hayton missed three months of the 2023-24 season with an upper-body injury and then suffered another injury in March, which ended his year. There's no doubt that Hayton hasn't lived up to expectations as a 5th overall pick, which could have led to Utah parting ways with him just over a week ago, but they still believe in him and it's safe to say these next two seasons will be make or break time for him in the organization.
In 33 games last season, the Peterborough, Ontario native had ten points (three goals, seven assists), 26 penalty minutes and was a minus-13.
| POLL | ||
Will Hayton surpass his career high of 43 points during the 2024-25 season? | ||
| Yes | 44 | 53 % |
| No | 39 | 47 % |
| List of polls | ||
