Utah HC Players Choose Their Favorite Moments in 2024-25 – Hockey Writers – Utah Hockey Club

There are many important moments during the inaugural season of the Utah Hockey Club. From Game 1 to the last game in St. Louis, it’s a very exciting season one for the NHL’s latest team. While fans have favorite moments, there are so many players. Hockey writer Ask some Utah players what their favorite part of the 2024-25 season is. This is their answer.

The first game is the player’s favorite

When asked about their favorite moments of the season, it is no surprise that most players chose the first game in Delta Center as their answer. The team’s icing on the cake for their new building, energy and five-ball performance is memorable.

Sean Durzi had a memorable part of that game. He eventually fought Connor Murphy for the first battle in Utah history. After the battle, Durzi waved his arms and pulled out the already loud crowd in Salt Lake City. This is a day he will never forget.

“The first game is crazy,” Dulsi said. “The playoff atmosphere, there’s only a ton of excitement around the arena, concerts around the arena, full coverage, national coverage. It’s a cool day and part of history. So I might say that’s my favorite moment.”

Liam O’Brien is also part of the game’s history and was named the third star of the competition. He chose it as his favorite moment because of the excitement that caused the game.

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“It could be the first game in the Delta,” O’Brien said. “There’s a lot of expectations about it and it’s the beginning of a new franchise. It’s cool to be involved. I think everyone will agree with that.”

I’m recording an ode to “Spicy Tuna”. Barrett Hayton then scored his third goal in the game. #utahhc pic.twitter.com/zldjjhck96

– Chase Beardsley (@chasebeardsley_) October 9, 2024

Even veterans like Alex Kerfoot were impressed by Utah’s home opener. Kerfoot has played for teams like Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs, who competed in big playoff games, but he was lasting for the expectation of the first game in Utah history.

“I think the first game is special,” Clott said. “The buzz before the game, winning in front of the fans, started the year, but the whole atmosphere around was very special.”

Jack McBain loves this season for many reasons. He felt that this was one of the closest teams he had ever been, and the bond between everyone in the locker room would only get better over time. He has many special moments this season.

However, he has been finding himself back to the home opening. He didn’t know where to enter the NHL from Arizona only in the preseason. McBain was shocked by direct support, and his fan base was given to Utah people in just 60 minutes.

“Personally, there are a lot of good moments.” “Our group is really getting closer. But, I think I always go back to the home opener. I don’t think anyone really knows what to expect. The fans really show up. We have a great time. It’s fun. The fans are there all year, so it’s really good.”

Ian Cole was disappointed with how disappointed Utah was in the playoffs and was disappointed with himself. You can’t blame him. This is the first time in a decade that he will not make the playoffs. He enjoyed his first game, but after signing with Utah for a year before the trade deadline, he is even more excited about his first game next season.

“At the moment, we have a bit of a disappointment mentality,” Cole said. “The first game of the year (I want to say) has a lot of hope and is very excited. It’s good and very exciting. I’m just looking forward to the first game next year.”

Clayton Keller is also likely to look forward to his first game next season, especially after he made only the playoffs in his eight-season NHL career. But, similar to Cole, he likes to be part of the first game in Utah history.

“There are a lot of good moments this season,” Keller said. “Obviously, it was the first game that stood out. We were very excited.”

Some other favorite moments

Michael Kesselring loves being part of the first game. Like most of his other teammates, this is probably his favorite game. However, he chose a game that was very close to his heart at his favorite moment of the season. His overtime winner against his hometown team: the Boston Bruins.

“For me, it played Brown Bears at home,” Keseling said. “I scored overtime goals. It was really special for me for my hometown team. It was a good time for me.”

Michael Kesselring.

OT winner! pic.twitter.com/ip0ijihkdf

– Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) October 20, 2024

Josh Doan is only able to compete in 11 NHL games in the 2023-24 season. Five of them were on the road. This year, for him, the coolest moment of the season was being able to travel around the NHL and seeing all the new fans travel with the team.

“There is a chance to travel, and by the end of this year, see how many fans we have from Utah (my favorite moment) from Utah,” Duane said. “It’s really cool to have the opportunity to see support nationwide.”

Head coach André Tourigny has a unique answer at his favorite moment of the season. While he did mention the first game, his favorite moment was January of one of the worst games in Utah. Despite the poor record at the Delta Center at the time, fans remained stuck with the team and Tourigny expressed their gratitude for their endless support.

“There are a lot of good moments,” Tulini said. “I think the first game has to be there. But I think even though we had a tough time somewhere in January, I think the crowd supports us, and I think we’re very grateful for that. They’ve never wavered. They’ve always been behind us. They’ve always put a lot of stuff into our team. We’re really lucky to have this opportunity to get into this market.”

Utah has won their first home game in the regulations since Nov. 13. #utahhc pic.twitter.com/ne8npijys9

– Chase Beardsley (@chasebeardsley_) January 11, 2025

Eventually, ended with Nick Bjugstad, who had been with several NHL teams similar to Kerfoot during his long career. He has been running in teams such as Minnesota wild, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Florida Panthers. He has seen everything. His favorite moment in Utah is a very small moment, but one he will always remember.

“It was the night before, and I would never forget that,” Bjugstad said. “I’ll tell people because it’s how fans get involved in the game and how they get involved. Selgarchev stopped one-on-one people and brought the puck the other way around. After he stopped two-on-one people, the crowd went crazy. I’ve never seen a good defense in the NHL arena, and you’ve never done a good defense. The hockey market.”

While it’s clear that Game 1 has been a favorite of many Utah players for a long time, the overall support of fans is the best part of the team every moment. When it comes to their favorite moments, every player in the NHL will say that fan support is not the first thing, but the strong and loud support of the NHL’s latest fan base has made the team fall in love with cities and communities and created many of the best moments in their careers. Even for veterans like Bjugstad and Kerfoot, Salt Lake City’s passion for Utah is impressive.