The Utah Hockey Club finds itself trailing in the competition for a wild card spot in the NHL’s Western Conference, and the odds are not in their favor. Nevertheless, their captain is maintaining an impressive performance that could lead to a career-best season. Clayton Keller, the first captain in franchise history and the league’s fourth-youngest captain ever, moved from Arizona to Utah with modest expectations. However, his strong play has helped shift that perception. Although Utah is still in contention, it’s by a very slim margin.
Utah Hockey Club Captain Shines Despite Diminishing Playoff Chances
It has been a challenging season for Utah, marked by inconsistent performances and injuries throughout the lineup. Significant injuries have affected key players, including forwards Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley, while defensemen Sean Durzi and John Marino have been sidelined for most of the season. Despite these challenges, the team clings to hopes of a playoff spot, largely due to Keller’s exceptional season.
Power play goal for Utah!
Scored by Dylan Guenther with 16:14 remaining in the 1st period.
Assisted by Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley.
Utah: 1
Detroit: 0#DETvsUTA #UtahHC #LGRW pic.twitter.com/ttqHSNLNnY— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) March 25, 2025
Keller’s goal production has seen a slight decline compared to the last two seasons, yet he is still only nine points shy of surpassing his career-high of 86 from the 2022-2023 season. The 26-year-old winger has accumulated 79 points (24 goals and 55 assists) with 192 shots on goal in 73 games this year. Recently, he managed to earn 15 points in 13 games during a challenging month for Utah. The team will certainly need contributions from other players to support their performance.
Collective Effort
In Thursday’s match, Utah suffered a lopsided 8-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, marking the worst defeat in the team’s history. They appeared to lack the same level of effort displayed in previous games, and the defense struggled to protect goaltender Karel Vejmelka, who has been the starting goalie for 17 straight games. Vejmelka is doing his utmost to keep the team’s playoff aspirations alive, achieving a record of 9-5-3 during this stretch.
Clayton Keller’s message to the team:
"There’s never going to be any quit in this room ever. We’re going to fight all the way until the end. We’re going to try to win every single game from here on out.”
“You never know what can happen. We’re going to stay motivated." pic.twitter.com/K3OfimoYgM
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) March 25, 2025
Utah recently snapped a three-game losing streak, but they have still dropped four of their last seven matches, including a 7-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Keller is confident that the team won’t adopt a quitting mindset; however, being outscored 17-7 in their recent games is concerning. In Tampa, Utah was significantly outworked, struggling offensively, which led to backup goaltender Jaxson Stauber entering the game after Vejmelka allowed four goals on just seven shots. For Utah to have any chance at the wild card, they’ll need strong performances from every player.
Playoff Outlook
Currently, Utah is nine points behind the St. Louis Blues for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Blues have extended their lead in the standings after winning their eighth consecutive game. While the challenge was always daunting, Utah’s recent performance has contributed to their predicament. According to Moneypuck, Utah has just a 0.7% chance of securing a playoff spot.
With only nine games remaining this season, Utah faces a steep challenge ahead. They have crucial matchups against the Calgary Flames, a direct competitor for the wild card, as well as facing some of the league’s top teams, including the Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, and Dallas Stars. With their playoff hopes fading, every point is becoming increasingly critical, allowing very little margin for error.
While they cannot dictate how the Blues perform, Utah controls its own destiny. At this stage, a significant winning streak is essential for playoff qualification. Although it may seem unlikely, Keller must continue to lead the team.
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