On Tuesday, the Utah Hockey Club will host an all-day celebration ahead of their inaugural game against the Chicago Blackhawks. The team has gone all out, planning a block party outside Delta Center with more festivities inside. Here’s what to expect from opening night in Utah.
Utah HC Outdoor Festivities
The party begins at 12:30 PM CST when Utah Hockey Club owners Ryan and Ashley Smith will address the media and fans with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. It’s not just a press conference but something all fans can attend.
At 2 PM, ESPN will go live for their national coverage of today’s three NHL games to open the 2024-25 season. The stage will be open-air in downtown Salt Lake City and will be home to the pregame, postgame, and intermission shows for all three games. Host Steve Levy and analysts P.K. Subban and Mark Messier will be on stage, with special guests rotating on the show.
Related: Ryan Smith Is Building Something Special in Utah
Two hours later, the fan festivities begin, including live music, free games, and hockey activities. A beer garden and food trucks will also be around the area. Fans will also get their first opportunity to purchase exclusive Utah merchandise and apparel. Players will arrive at 5 PM for a mountain blue carpet gameday walk-in. Local youth hockey players will accompany them as they make their way into the arena.
Fans will get a special treat 30 minutes later when Shaboozey will perform a free concert. The country artist is known for his song “A Bar Song (Tipsey)” and has won multiple People’s Choice Awards this year. An hour later, at 6:30 PM, a group of four F-35A jets will do a flyover by pilots based at Hill Air Force Base in Utah.
For those not attending the game, the party won’t end when the arena doors open to ticket holders. There will be a free watch party outside Delta Center with two massive screens at both ends of the street, along with other activities.
Inside the Delta Center
There will be plenty to do inside Delta Center for fans lucky enough to attend the game. Each attendee will receive a rally towel and shirt available at their seat. Attendees will also be the first to experience the new Utah Hockey Club team store on level five of the arena. Merchandise, including engraved silver pucks and exclusive game night t-shirts, will be sold during the game. Multiple pop-up shops will also be around the arena.
The NBA’s Utah Jazz mascot, Jazz Bear, will also be in the arena, serving as the first mascot of the Utah Hockey Club. The mascot has been in Salt Lake City since 1994 and has already shown up at UHC community events. Jazz players are also expected to be in attendance on Tuesday.
Fans will also get their first taste of the new-look concession stands. The team will have fan-friendly concessions, which will be among the cheapest in all sports. Water will only cost $2, while items like popcorn, hotdogs, and ice cream will cost $3. If fans want fancier, Delta Center will also have food items connected to the visiting team’s city. Finally, fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 7:45 PM for a ceremonial puck drop.
Utah HC On the Ice
Utah’s opening night roster was revealed on Monday. While there weren’t any big surprises, Nick Bjugstad and John Marino will start the season in the press box while they deal with injuries. That means Kailer Yamamoto, who signed a one-year deal a couple of days ago, and Josh Doan will play on Tuesday, which could change in the coming weeks.
Clayton Keller was named captain earlier this month, and on Tuesday, Lawson Crouse was named ‘associate’ captain. Crouse was the longest-tenured Arizona Coyote before the move to Salt Lake City. Now, he’ll help Keller try to lead the team to the playoffs.
“Lawson is a tremendous person and player and has been a great leader for this group for many years. We are very pleased to name Lawson as our associate captain,” said GM Bill Armstrong. “We’re extremely fortunate to have a strong leadership group with high-character people in our dressing room, and we are confident that these players will do an excellent job leading our team on and off the ice.”
The third “A” will be shared by a rotating leadership committee that will likely include defensemen like Sean Durzi and Mikhail Sergachev and veterans like Nick Bjugstad.
Tuesday will be an exciting day for fans in Salt Lake City and around the world. Smith has pulled out all the stops and spared no expense for the big game ahead. As the national media descend on Salt Lake City, the world will be watching as Utah is welcomed to the NHL.
