The Utah Hockey Club names Clayton Keller team captain

Today, the Utah Hockey Club announced that forward Clayton Keller has been named the first captain in franchise history.

“As a leader, Clayton embodies the values ​​of our organization and the identity we want to build for our franchise here in Utah. “We are indeed proud to name him the first captain in the history of the Utah Hockey Club,” said Chris Armstrong, president of hockey operations for the Utah Hockey Club. “On the ice, he leads by example as one of the best players in the game. Off the ice, he earns the respect of his colleagues, coaches and our training staff every day through his relentless desire to bring out the best in himself and his teammates. He is ready for the responsibility and will be an excellent captain.”

“Being named captain of the Utah Hockey Club is a tremendous honor that Clayton deserves,” said Bill Armstrong, general manager of the Utah Hockey Club. “Clayton has developed into an outstanding hockey player and an even better person who has earned the respect of the entire organization. He looks forward to the challenges that come with being captain and will be surrounded by a strong leadership group who will be able to support and lead this team.”

“Clayton’s development as a leader over the last few years has been amazing and his continued drive for improvement and will to win will radiate through to all of us,” said André Tourigny, head coach of the Utah Hockey Club. “He is a top player and competes every day with intensity and determination. He is a person of strong character, cares deeply about his teammates and has the respect of everyone in the organization. He will be a great captain for us and I am very excited to count on Clayton as our captain.”

Keller is a four-time All-Star and one of only nine NHL players to have appeared in the last three All-Star Games. He also led his team in scoring in five of his seven NHL seasons, surpassing the 30-goal mark in each of the last two seasons. The former seventh overall draft pick has gone 166-252-418 in 520 career NHL games, the fourth-most points among players drafted in 2016. The Chesterfield, Missouri native was one of two players in Arizona Coyotes history to score 400 points. and he finished seventh in the Jets/Coyotes' all-time franchise standings.

“It is a great honor to be named captain of the Utah Hockey Club,” said Keller. “I am grateful for this opportunity and would like to thank the entire organization for believing in me. I understand that it is a privilege to be an NHL captain and a great honor to know that management, coaches and my teammates believe in me to lead this team. It is a huge responsibility that I have been preparing for my entire life. We have a room full of great leaders and together we will work hard to achieve our goal of becoming a playoff team.”

At 26, Keller will become the sixth-youngest player in NHL history to captain a franchise in its first season. He will also be the youngest such captain since 1979-80, when 25-year-old Ron Chipperfield was named captain of the Edmonton Oilers in their first NHL season. Keller was also named a finalist for the 2022-23 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport of ice hockey,” after recovering from a fractured femoral neck and in Tied all 82 games The Coyotes' single-season scoring record (37-49-86).