Tij Iginla of Lake Country was drafted 6th by Utah Hockey Club. (Natalie Shaver/CHL)

By Pete McIntyre

2024 Draft

Iginla second highest Rocket in NHL Draft history

Jun 29, 2024 | 3:30 PM

Utah Hockey Club made history on Friday night, using their first ever NHL Draft pick in franchise history to select Kelowna Rockets forward Tij Iginla sixth overall at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

Iginla, who lives with his dad, Jerome, and their family in Lake Country, becomes the second highest Rocket to be drafted into the NHL; the Toronto Maple Leafs picked Luke Schenn fifth overall in 2008.

Iginla is the 11th Rocket and first since 2019 to hear their name called during the first round.

Iginla ranked No. 9 among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s Final Rankings heading into the draft. He was named to the Western Hockey League’s 2023-24 B.C. Division First All-Star Team at the end of the regular-season. The Kelowna Rockets 2024 MVP award winner finished second in scoring among all Rockets with 84 points (47G-37A) in 62 games. His 47 goals were tied for sixth among all WHL skaters.

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The Utah Hockey Club the NHL’s newest team that will be based in Salt Lake City and play their inaugural season this fall. The NHL approved the sale and relocation of the Arziona Coyotes to Utah in April.

Iginla was one of five Western Hockey League players selected in the first round of the draft.

The four WHL players selected in the top 10 represent the most among any development league in the world. The five WHL players selected in the top 20 of the 2024 NHL Draft also represents the most among any development league in the world.

Medicine Hat Tigers forward Cayden Lindstrom was the first WHL player selected as he heard his name called fourth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Hailing from Chetwynd, B.C., Lindstrom earned the CHL Top Prospect Award at the 2024 CHL Awards in Saginaw, Mich., after registering 46 points (27G-19A) in only 32 games.

Lindstrom is the first Tiger selected in the first round of the NHL Draft since the Vancouver Canucks called Hunter Shinkaruk’s name with the 24th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft. Lindstrom, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound centre, is the first Tigers player to go in the top five of the NHL Draft since Cam Barker was selected third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2004.

Originally selected by the Tigers in the third round (54th overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Lindstrom has collected 88 points (46G-42A) in 99 career WHL regular season games since 2021-22.

Kelowna Rockets forward Tij Iginla was the second WHL player selected, as the Utah Hockey Club chose him sixth overall. A product of Lake Country, B.C., Iginla was named to the WHL’s B.C. Division First All-Star Team for 2023-24 after tallying 84 points (47G-37A) in 62 games. In 115 career WHL Regular Season games, Iginla has collected 103 points (53G-50A).

Iginla is the first Rocket selected in the first round of the NHL Draft since 2019 when defenceman Lassi Thomson and forward Nolan Foote were chosen by the Ottawa Senators (19th overall) and Tampa Bay Lightning (27th overall), respectively. The son of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, Tij is the first Rocket to hear his name called in the top 10 of the NHL Draft since defenceman Luke Schenn was selected fifth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008.

Calgary Hitmen defenceman Carter Yakemchuk was the third WHL player chosen, selected seventh overall by the Ottawa Senators. A product of Calgary, Alta., Yakemchuk was named to the WHL’s Central Division Defenceman of the Year and earned a place on the Central Division First All-Star Team after notching 30 goals and 71 points.

The 6-foot-3, right-shot defender is the first Hitmen player selected in the first round of the NHL Draft since defenceman Jake Bean was called 13th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2016.

Originally selected by the Hitmen in the third round (65th overall) of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, Yakemchuk has registered 131 points (53G-78A) in 189 career WHL regular season games.

Spokane Chiefs forward Berkly Catton found his way into the top 10, as the Seattle Kraken selected him with the eighth overall pick. Hailing from Saskatoon, Sask., Catton was named the WHL’s U.S. Division Player of the Year after recording 116 points (54G-62A) in 68 games.

Catton is the first Chief selected in the first round of the NHL Draft since Ty Smith was chosen 17th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2018 NHL Draft.

Originally selected first overall by the Chiefs in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Catton has collected 175 points (78G-97A) in 140 career WHL regular season games. He was named the WHL’s U.S. Division Rookie of the Year for the 2022-23 season.

Prince George Cougars forward Terik Parascak completed the list of WHL selections in the first round when he heard his name called 17th overall by the Washington Capitals. A product of Lethbridge, Alta., Parascak was named the WHL’s B.C. Division Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the WHL’s B.C. Division Second All-Star Team after securing 105 points (43G-62A) in 68 games.

The 5-foot-11, 179-pound right winger is the first Cougars player selected in the first round of the NHL Draft since the Tampa Bay Lightning drafted Brett Connolly sixth overall in 2010.

Parascak was originally selected by the Cougars in the fourth round (76th overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.

The 2024 NHL Draft represents the 16th time in the past 18 years in which the WHL has seen five or more players selected in the first round of the NHL Draft. With five WHL players selected in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, the WHL’s all-time total number of first-round NHL Draft selections sits at 344 since the 1967 NHL Amateur Draft.

In total, 14 players from the Canadian Hockey League were selected in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft.

2024 NHL Draft – WHL Players

Overall – Player (Pos.) – NHL Team; WHL Team; Hometown
#4 Cayden Lindstrom (C) – Columbus Blue Jackets ; Medicine Hat Tigers; Chetwynd, B.C.
#6 Tij Iginla (C) – Utah Hockey Club ; Kelowna Rockets; Lake Country, B.C.
#7 Carter Yakemchuk (D) – Ottawa Senators; Calgary Hitmen; Calgary, Alta.
#8 Berkly Catton (C) – Seattle Kraken; Spokane Chiefs; Saskatoon, Sask.
#17 Terik Parascak (RW) – Washington Capitals; Prince George Cougars; Lethbridge, Alta.