Artem Duda's journey from U Sports to the NHL will be completed on Thursday night.
The former Toronto Metropolitan University defenceman will make his NHL debut with the Utah Mammoth against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team said after Thursday morning skate.
A second-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2022 (36th overall), the Russian-born Duda played the second half of the 2023-24 season with TMU after his appeal to play NCAA hockey at Maine was denied.
Duda played 14 KHL games before going to TMU, where he played for the host team in the U Sports national championship.
In 12 games with the Bold, Duda scored two goals and seven points. TMU lost in the Ontario final and then finished fourth at nationals on home ice.
The 20-year-old joins the small contingent of U Sports athletes to play for an NHL organization, which includes the Stanley Cup-winning Logan Thompson.
Duda has been with AHL Tucson since leaving TMU. He has one goal and two assists in six AHL games this season.