NHL EDGE stats for Utah Hockey Club

As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, we will identify key EDGE stats for each team to preview the 2024-25 season. Today, we look at the impact of three advanced metrics for the Utah Hockey Club:

1. Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev ranked in the 96th percentile in average shot speed (68.34 mph) and 92nd percentile in top shot speed (98.92 miles per hour) last season.

The trade to acquire Sergachev was one of the most significant moves of the NHL offseason, with the 26-year-old now having a chance to be a workhorse defenseman and first power-play fixture after playing in the shadow of elite defenseman Victor Hedman for his entire career and missing significant time last season because of injuries.

In 2022-23, during Sergachev's best offensive season, he had an even better top shot speed (100.17 mph; 97th percentile), was among the leaders in average shot speed (66.16 mph; 95th percentile) and also excelled in total skating distance (253 miles; 91st percentile), long-range shots on goal (100; 98th percentile; 10th in NHL) and long-range goals (seven; 98th percentile; tied for sixth).

2. Goalie Connor Ingram ranked sixth in the NHL in high-danger save percentage (.833) last season.

Despite the Arizona Coyotes missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fourth straight season, Ingram was their unsung hero last season, ranking ninth in even-strength save percentage (.917) among the 20 NHL goalies who played at least 50 games. The Coyotes scored 149 goals in support of Ingram, which ranked 14th among those 20 goalies who played at least 50 games.

Now, with a young forward group featuring Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, Matias Maccelli, Dylan Guenther, Barrett Hayton and Josh Doan, and a defenseman group led by Sergachev, Sean Durzi and John Marino (acquired from New Jersey Devils), Ingram could reaffirm his role as the clear starter over Karel Vejmelka and help Utah become one of the most improved teams in the NHL with a realistic chance to make the playoffs.

3. Guenther was among the NHL leaders in average skating distance per 60 minutes at even strength (10.16 miles; 88th percentile) last season.

Arizona's offense ranked sixth in the NHL in midrange goals (83) last season, led by Keller's strong totals in midrange shots on goal (75; 91st percentile) and midrange goals (eight; 86th percentile). But in order for Utah to take the next step toward the postseason, its middle-six scorers like Guenther, Lawson Crouse, Maccelli and Doan will need to play close to full seasons and achieve better possession metrics.

The Coyotes generated 27.7 shots on goal per game last season, tied for the fifth fewest in the NHL, and allowed 31.7 per game, the ninth most in the League; they also ranked 22nd among the 32 teams in shot attempts percentage (48.5). But Guenther's breakout stretch late in the season (23 points, 73 shots on goal in final 23 games since March 1) on a line with mostly Cooley and Crouse is what Utah will need more consistently on a separate unit from top forwards Keller and Nick Schmaltz.

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