On June 24, Kevin Stenlund was skating loops around Amerant Bank Arena in Florida with the Stanley Cup hoisted above his head. Just under three months later, the centerman is pushing hard at the opening days of Utah Hockey Club training camp.
Stenlund, who spent 2023-24 with the Panthers en route to the franchise’s first championship title, is bringing his winning experience to a Utah team looking to fight for playoff positioning this season.
Utah signed Stenlund to a two-year, $4 million contract in July. The 28-year-old was one piece in an effort from management to add veterans to its younger roster. Ian Cole and Robert Bortuzzo were other acquisitions, as well as Mikhail Sergachev who — while only 26 — is a two-time Stanley Cup champion.
“They’ve won championships before. They want to come in here and have that same success and they’re going to bring a little bit of their knowledge and pass it on to our guys,” general manager Bill Armstrong said. “When you’re around those guys in the locker room, you get inspired.”
Mikhail Sergachev, a defenseman for the Utah Hockey Club, speaks during an NHL news conference Friday, July 5, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Stenlund is not a flashy goal-scorer. That’s not what Utah signed him for. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound forward takes pride in his defensive details and it results in a sturdy two-way game. Stenlund is a penalty-kill stalwart with a toughness that successful teams need. Last season, Stenlund posted a career-high 83 hits, 55 blocked shots and 36 takeaways.
Stenlund returned home to Sweden with the Stanley Cup before starting his new chapter in Utah. He took the hardware back to Ishuset rink in Tumba, Sweden, to share with friends and family for the day.
“This year I had a very short summer, luckily. Now it’s kind of tough. I’m getting into the gear,” Stenlund said. “It’s hard to not enjoy [the championship] the whole summer.”
In his first days of training camp in Utah, Stenlund has seen the potential in the roster, but he knows the group will have to reach another level to turn a corner in the rebuild this season.
“I think we have a lot of skill in this group. I think we’ve got to be a little bit harder. Obviously, I played Arizona last year and I know how it is to play against them,” Stenlund said. “Winning the Cup for me, it’s a lot about defense. I think if we imprint that into our mindset, we can go a long way.”
The Panthers were relentless in all three zones in their Cup run. Their smothering forecheck shut teams down at the blue line and allowed for odd-man rushes the other way. Defense created offense. It also didn’t hurt that every player on their backend was 6 feet or taller.
Utah’s offseason moves worked to replicate bits of this formula, and Stenlund’s bringing his perspective into the room.
“Just go hard every day. This league is hard to stay consistent in,” Stenlund said. “Trying to build something here — organization-wise and for myself. It’s a big challenge, but it’s going to be fun.”
Stenlund centered a line with Liam O’Brien and Kailer Yamamoto during Friday’s practice. With the nature of training camp, Stenlund’s positioning can and likely will change, but head coach André Tourigny has liked what he’s seen so far.
“You can see his confidence,” Tourigny said. “He has a really good stick, he’s super smart, he’s in a good spot. Competes hard. He’s huge. He’s a big presence on the ice.”
