Salt Lake City. In their debut season in Salt Lake City, reaching the NHL playoffs is a long shot for the Utah Hockey Club.
However, in the long run, the franchise`s future looks promising.
Utah possesses a significant number of draft picks in the next three years and a projected salary cap space of $21.5 million for the next season. Many key players have signed long-term, team-friendly contracts. Starting goaltender Karel Vejmelka extended his contract for five years in March.
Fan support has also been consistently strong throughout Utah`s first season, with sellouts at all regular-season home games, accommodating 11,131 unobstructed seats.
Utah owner Ryan Smith noted, “Everyone sees the current state of our team: the youth of the roster, the prospects for the future, and the attractiveness of the market. Honestly, the way the community has rallied around everything we`re doing is incredibly powerful.”
Smith faced serious challenges when he acquired the Arizona Coyotes about a year ago and moved players and personnel to Salt Lake City, where there was previously no hockey infrastructure. The Utah Olympic Oval, built for the 2002 Games and intended for speed skating, had to be converted into a temporary practice facility, and the Delta Center, home arena of the NBA`s Utah Jazz, was originally designed for basketball and not adapted for hockey.
Hasty decisions even touched upon the team`s name. Utah Hockey Club was designated as a placeholder name while fans voted on a permanent team name, which will be unveiled before the start of the 2025-26 regular season.
Nevertheless, the season on and off the ice unfolded as Smith had hoped.
“A year ago, it was quite daunting… walking into the locker room and not knowing what to say to the guys except, `Trust us. It`s going to be okay,`” Smith said. “I think people handle change well in life. I think uncertainty is really hard for people, and that was probably one of the most uncertain moments.”
Utah quickly won over many new fans with an energetic and physical brand of hockey. During a late push for the playoffs, Utah has scored 21 goals in their last five games, conceding only nine.
It is unlikely that Utah will snatch the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference from Minnesota. Nevertheless, the team`s good form at the end of the season is a positive sign for their competitiveness in future seasons after April.
“That`s what you want to cultivate, that`s what you want to be as a team… a team that never quits,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny said after a victory over Calgary on April 1. “There`s no quitting in that locker room. There`s no quitting in these players.”
Smith is rapidly building the infrastructure that the team lacked at the time of purchase.
In September, in the southern suburb of Sandy, Utah will open a new 115,780 square-foot practice facility. It will house two NHL-standard ice rinks and become the team`s official headquarters. The complex will also include training, medical, and dining areas, offices, and a locker room.
Utah`s practice facility will also be open to the public starting in January 2026.
“This is the place where we will inspire the next generation of kids in Utah to play hockey,” said Utah President of Hockey Operations Chris Armstrong. “And this is where we will lay down all the habits and identity of this team for the future as we pursue a Stanley Cup for Utah.”
The Delta Center will be remodeled within the next three years to improve sightlines for hockey games and bring the arena up to NHL standards. It will also become the core of a new $1.8 billion sports and entertainment district in downtown Salt Lake City.
“This is the next step,” Smith said. “There`s a lot more to come. The arena remodel and everything else being built around it is just part of a big puzzle that we need to put together.”
Smith is trying to grow hockey in Utah by funding the construction of up to 20 new community rinks. Through the Smith Entertainment Group, he plans to donate up to $500,000 per rink to help develop the sport across the state.
