Utah Mammoth trade up to select towering prospect Ethan Belchetz in NHL draft

Utah Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong saw an opportunity to secure Ethan Belchetz after the forward fell outside the top 15, prompting the team to trade up from one outlet to the 17th pick. The arrangement involved sending one outlet and 83rd selections to Los Angeles in exchange for the higher slot, a transaction. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the trade at the Buffalo draft venue, and the Kings subsequently flipped the 83rd pick to the Minnesota Wild for later selections.

Belchetz, standing 6-foot-5 and posting over a point per game in the OHL, fits Armstrong’s preference for size and goal-scoring ability. He will play for Michigan State, a program that already boasts several recent NHL draftees. The move reflects the Mammoth’s strategy to add a power-forward who can help the franchise contend for a championship.