The organization's final home game showed how far Utah Hockey Club has come and what’s ahead
For one final time during the 2024-25 NHL season, Utah Hockey Club’s supporters entered Delta Center Thursday ready to cheer on their team. It may have been the organization’s final home game, but for Utah Hockey Club and its players, this was just the start in Utah.
“It was special for us,” head coach André Tourigny. “It was the team’s first year and there were a lot of emotions. There were a lot of connections with the crowd and the way they supported us, we wanted to play for them and play in front of them. It’s just tough right now to comprehend that there’s no more this year. We’re addicted now. We’re looking forward to the next one, but we’ll have to wait a little bit.”
Since day 1, Utah has shown up strong for their newest professional team. Whether it was welcoming front office personnel, coaches, and players a year ago, or making Delta Center one of the loudest buildings in the league, this community has embraced Utah Hockey Club from the start.
“I grew up playing but it didn’t seem to be as popular here,” Gregory Thibault shared. “The fact that we got a hockey team and in the first year you’re seeing things like this (pregame festival), it’s crazy. The energy that you feel anytime you go into Delta Center, it’s wild how fast Utah adopted hockey.”
“It’s so lively and it has such a sense of camaraderie,” Amanda Plummer explained. “We’ve brought friends who were visiting from other states, and they immediately were like, ‘can I go get a jersey, can I be a Utah Hockey Club fan?’
“It’s just a big party, it’s fun,” Plummer continued. “Seeing families here and a lot of younger people from the community, it’s just great.”
Thursday’s atmosphere was electric. After a packed pre-game festival with face-painting, contests, activations, and street hockey, the crowd at Delta Center cheered for goals, encouraged the team in tight moments, and gave a standing ovation to the Utah’s Most Valuable Player, Karel Vejmelka, when he delivered with huge saves.
Although the team only picked up one point in a shootout loss to the Nashville Predators, the night was perfect. After a lot of work and a big buy-in from the organization, Thursday was an opportunity to celebrate how far the organization has come, and what’s ahead.
“It was awesome. It’s been a whirlwind since the end of last season, from top to bottom,” Captain Clayton Keller explained. “Ryan and Ashley (Smith), Chris Armstrong, all the sacrifices that they made to make this transition easy, (and) giving us every source. The fans as well; since day one, you could tell the excitement. We’re super hungry for next year, and this is just the beginning. There’s lots to look forward to.”
Following the game, with the stands packed, Utah announced its first-ever Utah Hockey Club Honors. These player awards highlighted certain individuals commitment both on and off the ice.
Goaltender Karel Vejmelka was named Most Valuable Player, Captain Clayton Keller received the Leading Scorer Award, forward Alexander Kerfoot was recipient of the Community Obsessed Award, while forward Dylan Guenther was named the Three Stars Award winner.
The fifth award, the All-In Award, was slightly different than the others as Utah Hockey Club asked their supporters and community to pick the winner. Barrett Hayton, by fan vote, was the recipient of the award. Allowing those who support the team night in, and night out to vote was just another way Utah Hockey Club continues to make the supporters a true part of the experience.
Although the home season is over, and Utah Hockey Club has three games left in the Inaugural Campaign, the excitement around the organization continues to build both on and off the ice.
“First season here in NHL history,” Keller said. “Sometimes it’s crazy to think about that, how quickly it happened and how great of a move it’s been. So just super thankful. So many people gave us a great position to be successful and I couldn’t be more excited for next year.”
