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Michael Kesselring, Utah Hockey Club (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Utah HC Benefitting From Michael Kesselring Trade

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Parker Beh | Last updated Jan 29, 2025 9:35 AM ET

On March 2, 2023, the Arizona Coyotes sent forward Nick Bjugstad to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Michael Kesselring and a 2023 third-round selection. At the time of the trade, the Coyotes were still in rebuild mode, and Bjugstad posted his best offensive season since 2018-19.

Looking to add forward depth for their playoff run, the Oilers acquired the 6-foot-6 center in exchange for Kesselring, who produced his best offensive season in his three years in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors. While it seemed like a move to cash in on Bjugstad’s career-reviving season and add a draft pick, Emonton’s 2018 sixth-round selection has exceeded expectations. Let’s look at how the trade has panned out for both teams.

Kesselring One of Utah’s Healthiest Defensemen in 2024-25

The Utah Hockey Club (21-21-7) has had its fair share of injuries on the backend: defenseman Sean Durzi played in four games before being dealt a potential season-ending upper-body injury. The 26-year-old came off a career-high 41-point campaign in Arizona last season. Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo was sidelined on Jan. 4 with a lower-body injury and hasn’t returned since.

Defenseman John Marino suited up in his first game for the blue, white and black on Jan. 14 after recovering from lower-back surgery in the offseason. The former New Jersey Devil and Pittsburgh Penguin has recorded three 24-point-plus seasons. Most recently, defenseman Mikhail Sergachev has missed the past five games with an upper-body injury. Utah’s most notable free-agency acquisition is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Here’s an update from Utah’s head coach André Tourigny on these three defensemen:

Injury update per Tourigny:

Sergachev is a game time decision for tomorrow’s game against Pittsburgh

Durzi won’t be available before 4-Nations tournament. Timeline TBD after that.

Bortuzzo is still day-to-day.#UtahHC
— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) January 28, 2025

Kesselring, on the other hand, is one of two Utah defensemen to dress in all 49 games this season. The 25-year-old boasts a team-best plus-10 rating.

“What they really liked about him was that he had all the qualities we look for. He’s got length, he plays the game hard, he’s got a big boomer of a shot,” Utah’s general manager Bill Armstrong said. “He was raw in some areas, but they felt there’d be some growth with some strength added and some good coaching. So credit to our sports science staff and our coaching staff, too. They’ve done a nice job with him.”

While there aren’t many eye-popping numbers when it comes to the former Northeastern Husky, he has risen to the occasion. With Durzi, Marino and Bortuzzo all out at one point, Kesselring was the team’s top right-handed D-man. The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder is two points shy from tying his 21-point total from last season. He has scored five goals and assisted on 14 others (11 of which are primary assists) for 19 points.

Michael Kesselring, Utah Hockey Club (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

“If you ask me one thing he does better than when he arrived, I think he’s more competitive physically,” Tourigny said on the growth of Kesselring. “The first year, it was tougher for him to create a stop in the D-zone, to stop the cycle, to be physical in his battles, net front and that kind of stuff. Now he has grown into his body. He’s a tall man, but he’s a strong man as well.”

Kesselring’s development and an injury-riddled D-core have increased his average time on ice (ATOI) by over three minutes from last season. This season it sits at 19:06 ATOI.

“If I keep playing like I have this last little bit, I’m going to get ice time; I’m going to get an opportunity,” Kesselring said. “Is there going to be a little less? Yeah, but it’s because we have a lot of good players, and if we have a lot of good D-men it’s going to help our team win. We’ve kind of been talking that we want to be one of the best back ends in the league, so let’s see if we can do that.”

Bjugstad’s Return to Arizona/Utah After Oil Country

Bjugstad potted four goals, two assists and six points in 19 games as an Oiler. He chipped in three playoff goals before the Oilers were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the second round. However, he didn’t leave Arizona for long and signed a two-year deal with the Coyotes on July 1, 2023.

After coming back to Arizona, the now 32-year-old had arguably the best season of his NHL career. The Coyotes’ third line of forwards Lawson Crouse, Matias Maccelli and Bjugstad generated the 18th-best expected goals for (xGF) among forward lines in 2023-24 at 22.5 xGF. In 76 games he accumulated 22 goals, 23 assists, 45 points and a plus-11 rating (the highest rating he’s had on one team in a single season).

Overall, the Oilers added a veteran presence and a solid bottom-six piece for their 12-game playoff run. However, in the long run, Arizona/Utah brought back Bjugstad, developed Kesselring into a top-six defenseman and acquired a 2023 third-round pick.