Utah GM: Injured Durzi won't be back 'anytime soon'
Utah Hockey Club defenseman Sean Durzi is out for the foreseeable future after exiting Monday's loss to the New Jersey Devils with an upper-body injury.
"It doesn't look like (Durzi's) going to be back anytime soon," general manager Bill Armstrong said Tuesday, according to KSL Sports' Cole Bagley. "We're going to have more young guys jump in and see what we can do here."
Durzi, 25, has two assists and seven penalty minutes in four games to start the campaign. He played a career-high 29:12 on Saturday in Utah's overtime win over the New York Rangers.
"You're never going to replace (Durzi), but we're going to have someone go in there and try," Armstrong added. He mentioned Robert Bortuzzo, Patrik Koch, and Maksymilian Szuber as options who could step into the lineup.
Durzi racked up nine goals and 41 points in 76 contests last season. He was acquired by the then-Arizona Coyotes in June 2023 from the Los Angeles Kings for a second-round pick. Durzi signed a four-year contract extension in June that carries a $6-million cap hit.
Utah remains without offseason addition John Marino due to an upper-body injury, leaving the team without its two top right-handed defensemen.
The NHL's newest team is 3-1-0 to commence its inaugural campaign and will look to get back in the win column Wednesday against the Anaheim Ducks.