Utah HC Players Choose Their Favorite Moments of the 2024-25 Season

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There have been so many big moments during the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season. From the very first game to the very last on the road in St. Louis, it’s been a very exciting first season for the newest franchise in the NHL. While the fans have had their share of favorite moments, the players have too. The Hockey Writers asked some of Utah’s players what their favorite part of the 2024-25 season was. Here are their responses.

The First Game a Favorite Among Players

It’s no surprise that when asked about their favorite moment of the season, most players chose the first game at Delta Center as their answer. The atmosphere, the energy, and the five-goal performance by the team to christen their new building were unforgettable.

Sean Durzi had a memorable part of that game. He ended up fighting Connor Murphy for the first-ever fight in Utah history. After the fight, Durzi waved his arms to pump up the already loud crowd in Salt Lake City. It’s a day he’ll never forget.

“The first game was pretty crazy,” Durzi said. “Playoff atmosphere, just a ton of excitement around the arena, the concert around the arena, full coverage, national coverage. It was a cool day, part of history. So I’d probably say that was my favorite moment.”

Liam O’Brien was also part of the history during that game, being named the third star of the game. Because of the amount of excitement leading up to that game, he chose it as his favorite moment.

Related: What Do Utah HC Players Have Planned for this Summer?

“Probably the first game at Delta,” O’Brien said. “There was a lot of anticipation for that one, and a start to a new franchise. It was pretty cool to be a part of that. I think everybody would agree with that.”

Even a veteran like Alex Kerfoot was impressed with Utah’s home opener. Kerfoot has played for teams like the Colorado Avalanche and the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have played in big playoff games, but the anticipation leading up to the first game in Utah history left a lasting impression on him.

“I think the first game was pretty special,” Kerfoot said. “The buzz before the game leading up to it, getting the win in front of the fans, to kick off the year, just the whole atmosphere around it was pretty special.”

Jack McBain loved this season for numerous reasons. He felt like it was one of the closest teams he had ever been on, and the bond between everyone in the locker room only got better as time went on. There were a lot of special moments for him this season.

However, he keeps finding himself coming back to the home opener. He didn’t know what to expect coming from Arizona into a place the NHL has only been during preseason. McBain was blown away by the immediate support and love the fanbase gave to Utah in just around 60 minutes.

“Personally, there’s been a lot of good moments,” McBain said. “Our group really became closer. But, I think I always go back to the home opener. I think nobody really knew what to expect. Fans really showed out. We had a good game. It was a lot of fun. The fans were there all year, so it was really good.”

Ian Cole has been brutally honest about how disappointed he is due to Utah missing the playoffs. You can’t blame him. It’s the first time he won’t be in the playoffs in a decade. He enjoyed the first game, but he’s more excited for next season’s first game after he signed a one-year extension with Utah before the trade deadline.

Ian Cole and Clayton Keller Utah Hockey Club
Ian Cole and Clayton Keller of the Utah Hockey Club (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

“We’re in a bit of a disappointed mindset at the moment,” Cole said. “(I would say) First game of the year, there was a lot of promise, a lot of excitement. That’s good, very exciting. I’m just looking forward to the first game of the year next year.”

Clayton Keller is most likely looking forward to the first game next season as well, especially after only being in the playoffs once during his eight-season NHL career. However, similar to Cole, he loved being a part of the first game in Utah history.

“There were a lot of good moments (this season),” Keller said. “Obviously, the one that stands out was the first game. We were so excited.”

Some Other Favorite Moments

Michael Kesselring loved being a part of the first game. More than likely, it would’ve been his favorite game, like most of his other teammates. However, he chose a game that was very close to his heart for his favorite moment of the season. His overtime winner against his hometown team: the Boston Bruins.

“For me, it was playing the Bruins at home,” Kesselring said. “I scored the overtime goal. It was really special for me against my hometown team. That was a good moment for me.”

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

“Getting a chance to travel and at the end of the year see how many fans that we had from Utah in the building (was my favorite moment),” Doan said. “Getting a chance to see the support nationwide has been really cool to see.”

Head coach André Tourigny had a unique answer for his favorite moment of the season. While he did mention the first game, his favorite moment came in January during one of Utah’s worst stretches. Despite the poor record at the Delta Center at that point, the fans stuck by the team, and Tourigny was more than grateful for their endless support.

“There were a lot of great moments,” Tourigny said. “I think that the first game has to be up there. But I think even when we had our tough time somewhere in January, I think the way the crowd supported us, I think we’re really grateful for that. They never wavered. They have always been behind us. They always poured a lot towards our team. We’re really fortunate to have that opportunity to be in this market.”

Finally, ending it off with Nick Bjugstad, who, similar to Kerfoot, has been with a couple of NHL teams in his long career. He’s been on playoff runs with teams like the Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Florida Panthers. He’s seen it all. His favorite moment with Utah was a small one, but one that he’ll always remember.

“It was the other night that I’ll never forget this,” Bjugstad said. “I’ll tell people about it, because it was the way the fans engaged in the game, and how into it they are. Sergachev stopped a two-on-one and brought the puck the other way. After he stopped the two-on-one, the crowd was going crazy. I’ve never seen that in an NHL arena when you make a good defensive play. It wasn’t anything crazy, but the fans’ response and the engagement. I’ll never forget that, because I’ve never seen that, and I’ve played in some big hockey markets.”

While it’s clear that the first game will be a favorite for many Utah players for a long time, the overall support of the fans was the best part of every moment for the team. The fan support isn’t the first thing every player in the NHL would say when it comes to their favorite moment but the strong and loud support from the newest fanbase in the NHL has helped the team fall in love with the city and community and has created some of the best moments in a lot of these player’s careers. Even for veterans like Bjugstad and Kerfoot, the passion in Salt Lake City for Utah is nothing short of impressive.

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