Amidst the 2024 NHL offseason and free agency, the Utah Hockey Club signed forward Kevin Stenlund to a two-year contract worth $2 million annually. Utah’s general manager Bill Armstrong’s recent acquisitions of defensemen Mikhail Sergachev (6-foot-3), Ian Cole (6-foot-1), and John Marino (6-foot-1) prove he wants his roster to have a height advantage over opponents this season. Stenlund, who is 6-foot-4 and 211 pounds, checks the boxes to play a bottom-six role. Here is what fans should know about a player unknown to many.
Kevin Stenlund Background
The Swedish-born forward was the Columbus Blue Jackets’ second-round selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He spent four seasons in Columbus (2018-19 through 2021-22), playing 71 games and scoring 20 points. The following season, he crossed the border to play for the Winnipeg Jets, tallying nine points in 54 games before he hit the free-agent market again, hoping to become an NHL regular.
Looking to make another Stanley Cup Final appearance, the Florida Panthers signed him to a one-year deal. Stenlund had a career year last season, setting career highs in games played (81), goals (11), assists (nine), and points (20). He played on Florida’s fourth-line centering forwards Nick Cousins, Ryan Lomberg, Steven Lorentz, and Kyle Okposo throughout the season. The 27-year-old played in all 24 games of the Panthers’ Stanley Cup-winning path. While he only recorded one assist, it is no surprise why he dressed in every game for head coach Paul Maurice’s squad.
Two-Way Play Style
To build off his career-best season, he recorded career highs in blocked shots (55), hits (83), and takeaways (36). He was sound in the defensive zone and fit the Panthers’ aggressive forecheck. Ultimately, this improved his takeaway-to-turnover ratio (a plus-12) and earned him time on Florida’s penalty kill.
He is also a reliable centerman in the face-off circle, winning 51.5% of his face-offs last season. To put this into perspective, the Arizona Coyotes had the second-worst face-off win percentage at 47.9% in 2023-24. Therefore, he brings a physical game with a defensive upside.
Armstrong’s Commitment to Taller Players
Stenlund joins forwards Nick Bjugstad (6-foot-6), Lawson Crouse (6-foot-4), defenseman Michael Kesserling (6-foot-4), and goalie Karel Vejmelka (6-foot-4) as the taller players on Utah. Armstrong still has a healthy mix of grit and skill, as forwards Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley are the second shortest on the team at 5-foot-10 behind forward Michael Carcone at 5-foot-9. So far, Utah’s management has crafted a middle-of-the-pack team in average height, jumping up six spots from the previous season.
Utah’s prospect pool is full of towering players: Arizona’s 2023 first-round selections were defenseman Dmitri Simashev (6-foot-5) and forward Daniil But (6-foot-6). Drafted later in the same draft was goalie Michael Hrabal, standing at 6-foot-6. One of the Coyotes’ 2022 first-round picks was defenseman Maveric Lamoureux (6-foot-7). The list goes on, as Armstrong was a tall defenseman during his playing career, reaching 6-foot-5.
Where Does Stenlund Fit in Utah’s Forward Group?
Assuming head coach André Tourigny stays on course with lines that have succeeded in the past, here is what the forward lines could look like this season:
Clayton Keller — Barrett Hayton — Nick Schmaltz
Dylan Guenther — Logan Cooley — Lawson Crouse
Matias Maccelli — Nick Bjugstad — Josh Doan
Michael Carcone/Liam O’Brien — Jack McBain/Alex Kerfoot — Kevin Stenlund
As you can see, Armstrong needed another right-handed shot who could play on the wing after forward Travis Boyd did not re-sign in Utah. Other than Stenlund, the four other potential fourth-line forwards are all left-handed. Granted, Carcone can play on his off-wing, but the newest addition to the forward core can be interchangeable at the center and right-wing positions. He can complement O’Brien’s (led the NHL in penalty minutes last season) and McBain’s (204 hits last season) physical play style. Or, the right-handed shot can provide a defensive-minded approach if Tourigny wants to run an offensive-minded fourth line with Carcone (21 goals last season) and Kerfoot (45-point scorer last season).
Related: Utah GM Bill Armstrong Follows Past Strategies at 2024 NHL Draft
Stenlund will also be used during penalty-killing situations, whether at five-on-four or five-on-three. He won 429 face-offs in the regular season last season, which is helpful to gain possession and clear the zone.
Outlook for Utah
Utah embarks on its inaugural NHL season in 2024-25, and Armstrong has prioritized players with playoff experience this offseason. Looking to be competitive right out of the gates, Stendlund provides that (32 career playoff games). Sergachev is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Marino has experienced the past four playoffs and Cole has played in the playoffs 11 out of his 14 NHL seasons. Stenlund is a significant signing, bringing value to areas of the game that are underappreciated.
