On Caleb Desnoyers and Why He’s the Player Utah Picked with the Fourth-Overall Selection
“He has a really high offensive ceiling. His speed and skill, his decision making, but also his character as a teammate. Everything we've heard and seen, including from Gabe Smith, who is already in our system and playing with Caleb in Moncton. Exceptional character, will to be an NHL player, and to be a great teammate and to do everything that's necessary to set himself apart. We also feel like he has a burning desire to show that maybe he was overlooked by some of the other teams ahead of us in the draft, and we always like a player coming in with that kind of hunger and determination. You’ve heard it in some of the remarks that he's made since we drafted him that he has great self-assurance and great self-belief, but doesn't underestimate what it takes to be an NHL player. We're excited about all of those things.”
On the Identity Formed in Utah that Free Agents Already See
“A lot of that credit actually goes to our fans and the community, and how well this team was embraced in its inaugural season. People seeing that energy from the outside, watching our games on TV, and following our team. I think it also means what we’re doing is working, but that we have a lot more work to do to continue to put ourselves in positions to attract the free agents that we think can make us better. That is the art and science, if you will, of free agency. It’s very rare that you’re looking at a player that several teams are not also looking at. So, what are your points of differentiation and for us, I think a player like Brandon (Tanev) sees the youth and energy, the trajectory of this team. He has experience and was very complimentary to his time with (head coach André Tourigny) with Team Canada. So, for a player like him, I think he knows the role and the impact that he can have here and that gets him excited.”
On RFA Jack McBain and Updates on a Contract
“I think we’ve had great dialogue with Jack and his representatives. We made it very clear that he’s an important part of our future and we felt that he believes he’s an important part of our future. We’ll continue to work on that, we’re in active conversations with his representatives, and we hope we can get that done as quickly as possible.”
On Signing Logan Cooley to an Extension with One-Year Left on His Entry-Level Contract
“He’s an important part and an important piece in the future of this franchise. He’s one of the most dynamic young players in the NHL, certainly one we think is a future star in this league and we want him to be a star for the Utah Mammoth. We’ve had great conversations with his representatives, we’ll continue that dialogue through the rest of the summer and hope that we can get something done ahead of the season.”
