The 2022-23 season marked the first season at Mullett Arena for the Arizona Coyotes. While the team missed the playoffs for its third consecutive season, Clayton Keller‘s 86-point campaign tied Keith Tkachuk for the most points in a single season in Coyotes’ history.
Related: Utah HC: Streaky Play Will Hinder Team’s Success Come Playoff Time
Flash forward to the 2024-25 season: Arizona no longer houses an NHL franchise. Now, Keller is the first captain of the Utah Hockey Club in its inaugural season. So far in Utah, the 26-year-old has recorded 14 goals and 29 assists for 43 points in 42 games. Can the team’s current leading scorer reproduce or rewrite his record? Let’s take a deeper look.
Comparing Keller’s Point Total Through 42 Games to Previous Seasons
Arizona’s 2016 seventh-overall selection in the first round posted his three-best offensive seasons as of late. Here’s a look at Keller’s past two seasons compared to this season:
- 2024-25 season
- Through 42 games
- 14 goals
- 29 assists
- 43 points
- 82-game pace
- 84 points (rounded up from 83.95)
- Through 42 games
- 2023-24 season
- Through 42 games
- 17 goals
- 22 assists
- 39 points
- 78-game season totals
- 33 goals
- 43 assists
- 76 points
- Through 42 games
- 2022-23 season
- through 42 games
- 14 goals
- 23 assists
- 37 points
- 82-game season totals
- 37 goals
- 49 assists
- 86 points
- through 42 games
As some may notice, Keller is off to his best start through 42 games compared to the past two seasons.
Contributing Factors to Keller’s Mid-Season Success Marks
The former Boston Terrier has played in every game this season. He’s only completed a full 82-game season twice in his eight-year NHL career. Therefore, the more games Keller plays, the better chance he has to match his 86-point campaign.
The 5-foot-10, 175-pounder’s production in road games this season: Keller boasts over a point-per-game in road games (23 points in 22 games). His numbers at the Delta Center don’t trail too far behind: The left-handed shot is a point per game at home. However, his home point production has been better than his road scoring in previous seasons.
It should be no surprise that Keller’s play in the team’s wins this season outweighs his play in losses: He has accumulated 26 points in Utah’s 18 victories.
With forward Dylan Guenther being placed on injured reserve on Jan. 14, Utah’s first line of Keller, Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz has been broken up. However, the trio has created 20 expected goals for–the most out of any forward line or defensive pairing on Utah this season. Keller, Hayton and Schmaltz will try to maintain their success if they’re placed together again this season.
The Missouri native has started 3.2% more of his shifts in the offensive zone from last season. Furthermore, Keller’s experiencing a 2% increase in offensive zone time from this season to last. While these numbers may not show significant change, any extra O-zone time helps improve his chances of contributing to a goal.
Keller’s “March Madness” Play Needs to Continue in 2025
March 2022, 2023 and 2024 were Keller’s best single-month totals over the past three seasons. Here’s a look at his past three performances in March:
- March 2022
- 14 games
- Seven goals
- 10 assists
- 17 points
- March 2023
- 16 games
- 12 goals and assists
- 24 points
- NHL’s third star of the month
- March 2024
- 13 games
- 10 goals
- Six assists
- 16 points
In search of making the postseason this year, Utah will need its captain to have another magical March.
Can Keller Top 86 Points?
If Keller stays on course, mathematically, he will come up two points shy of 86 points. But some may argue hockey isn’t all about the numbers; everyone is human.
To be a near 90-point scorer, the first-year captain will need another productive March, remain healthy and play slump-free hockey for the remainder of the season. If these stars align for Keller, he can increase his single-season point total.
