The Utah Hockey Club are already dealing with injuries after the first day of camp, how will they deal with early adversity? Defenseman John Marino and forward Nick Bjugstad are both listed as week-to-week with upper body injuries. This news is a little concerning, as both players project to be key players to Utah’s blueline and forward group. Utah opens up their season in 18 days, so Marino and Bjugstad should be close to returning by then, but it’s definitely something to monitor throughout camp and the preseason.
INJURY UPDATE
Utah forward Nick Bjugstad (upper body) and defenseman John Marino (upper body) will be listed as week-to-week
— Utah Hockey Club PR (@UtahHC_PR) September 19, 2024
Utah has depth if Marino and Bjugstad aren’t ready.
Ian Cole and Robert Bortuzzo are two players that can slide into Marino’s spot. Bortuzzo specifically is the kind of defenceman Utah wants to fill in for Marino. The veteran defenceman has 10 years of NHL experience under his belt and knows what it takes to win, which is exactly what a team with young players playing in a brand-new city needs. These two players combined have 24 years of NHL experience. General Manager Bill Armstrong chose the right players to fill in and lead a young team in their first season.
On the forward side for Bjugstad, Utah can get away with putting Jack McBain on the third line for the time being. If Bjugstad and Marino are out longer than expected, the hockey club will be in some trouble. Bortuzzo is a fine fill-in defenseman but provides little to no offence, while McBain is a young player who has promise but is still young at 24 years old. Utah has expectations coming into this season, but if any of the young players or veterans struggle, things could go off the rails quickly.
Main Photo: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
