NHL Trade: Utah Hockey Club Swings Deal For Veteran Defenseman
After watching the top end of their defense get ravaged by serious injuries this young season, the Utah Hockey Club has gone out and swung a deal to acquire 12-year veteran D-man Olli Määttä from the Detroit Red Wings.Welcome to Utah! 👏We’ve acquired defenseman Olli Määttä from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a third-round draft choice via the New York Rangers. pic.twitter.com/kCQye8dRNB— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) October 30, 2024Utah sends a third-round draft choice to Detroit in exchange. Määttä, 30, will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end, as his two-year, $3 million AAV deal wraps up. It's a much-needed boost for the Utah blueline, who've lost both Sean Durzi and John Marino from their top four for much of the season. Both underwent surgeries, and while Durzi might miss the entire year, Marino, a key offseason acquisition, could return for the second half of the campaign. Määttä was a healthy scratch in Detroit twice in the last four games, so perhaps this move shouldn't come as a surprise. He's a dependable backliner in his own zone, however, last season posting a plus/minus rating of +14, and he owns a +75 rating over the course of his career. The Finnish defender came into the league with six seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had selected him in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft. He's also played with the Chicago Blackhawks and the LA Kings. He'll be a welcome sight for the Utah defense, which has allowed 17 goals over a four-game losing streak. Photo: © Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images...
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