Apr 15, 2025 , 10:10 PM | Updated: 10:28 pm
Utah Hockey Club center Jack McBain (22) reacts after losing 2-1 against the St. Louis Blues during an NHL game held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025 (Tess Crowley, Deseret News).
(Tess Crowley, Deseret News)
COLE BAGLEY
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season came to an end on Tuesday night as the club wrapped up a three-game road trip in St. Louis. Despite a brutal loss to the Blues to conclude their schedule, Utah kept their promise of playing meaningful hockey down the stretch during an impressive first year in Salt Lake City.
Here are the key takeaways from Utah’s season finale in St. Louis.
Despite an opportunity to play spoiler against the St. Louis Blues in the season finale, the Utah Hockey Club struggled mightily from puck drop with a forgettable first period riddled with trips to the box.
Following three penalties in the initial frame, including a 5-on-3 advantage for the Blues, Utah surrendered four deflating goals (two on the power play).
Teach me how to Snuggy. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/BYXZpyW8Ce
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 16, 2025
Zack GOALduc 💪💪 pic.twitter.com/chaMcVfYIx
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 16, 2025
To give a team desperately holding onto the final wild card spot multiple man advantages in the first period is simply a recipe for disaster.
“I will give them credit. I think they had four days to get ready for that game. They knew that was the game to get into the playoff. They were well prepared…we were not as prepared for them,” Head coach Andre Tourigny said.
Unfortunately, Utah paid the price as the Blues utilized the open space, moved the puck, found shooters in dangerous areas and buried the visiting team with an insurmountable 4-0 lead after the first 20 minutes.
While the outcome in St. Louis was not ideal, the hometown hero and Utah’s captain reached an impressive personal milestone with 90 points for the first time in his career.
With 30 goals and 60 assists for the mountain blue and rock black this season, Clayton Keller took his game to a new level in Salt Lake City as he reached an impressive mark.
🔥 Keller gets Utah on the board.
That’s goal #30 this season for Kells! pic.twitter.com/AKhkjAhQAv
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) April 16, 2025
Finishing the season with 90 points is a significant achievement in the NHL.
Not only does it require consistent individual performances, but it’s also a team accomplishment as Keller leaned on his teammates with 60 total assists.
Notably, Keller’s 90 points rank 10th in the NHL this season in the same company as other elite players such as Brandon Hagel (90), Cale Makar (92), Jack Eichel (93) and Sidney Crosby (89).
If Utah is serious about taking the next step and securing a spot in the playoffs a season from now, Keller will be a primary driving force.
Luckily, he’s currently playing the best hockey of his career and is primarily focused on bringing a playoff berth to Salt Lake City as soon as possible.
Aside from an unfortunate finale and narrowly missing the playoffs by just a handful of points, the Utah Hockey Club stayed true to their promise of playing “meaningful games” down the stretch.
With a final record of 38-31-13 and 89 points in the standings, Utah’s inaugural season was a year of progress, potential, and dedication.
Before the brutal 6-1 loss to St. Louis in game 82, the Utah Hockey Club was the 7th best team in the NHL after the Four Nations break with a 14-6-4 record.
While they faced an uphill battle for the final 25 games of the season, Utah offered an admirable performance as they played with urgency, battled intently, raised their level of play and poured their hearts into a desperate attempt to make the playoffs.
“Before the game we were the 7th best team since the Four Nations,” Tourigny said.
“I think we were the second youngest team in the league. We showed up in big moments, we improved…really proud of our players, their commitment all season long.”
Like Tourigny pointed out, this is one of the youngest teams in the National Hockey League.
Making the playoffs was certainly a high bar and while it would’ve been an incredible for them to experience postseason, the goal was to play meaningful games.
That’s all folks.
The Utah Hockey Club will finish their inaugural season 38-31-13 with 89 points. Great season.
Playoffs or bust in 2025-26.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 16, 2025
Each year, this team has taken roughly a 10-point leap in the standings as they’ve hit on draft picks, developed young talent and acquired veterans.
As long as Utah stays committed to the process, uses their money wisely over the summer, and returns even hungrier for postseason hockey, its playoffs or bust in 2026.
“I think now it’s make playoffs or it’s a bust year,” Logan Cooley said.
“We’ve done enough throughout the years to get to play meaningful games but when it comes next year at this time, we want to be locked in a playoff spot.”
Logan Cooley on expectations rising next season:
“I think now it’s make playoffs or it’s a bust year.”
“We’ve done enough throughout the years to get to play meaningful games but when it comes next year at this time, we want to be locked in a playoff spot.” pic.twitter.com/2BmPqWpzw2
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 10, 2025
Following the conclusion of the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season, the next notable event will be the NHL Draft on June 27 and 28.
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