The Utah Hockey Club entered the league under very unusual circumstances, with the franchise only coming into existence less than six months before its inaugural season. As a result, the team opted to use temporary branding for said inaugural season while developing a permanent identity for the 2025-26 season.

The Jets, who lead the Central Division by five points and sit second in the NHL rankings, came into Delta Center winning three of their last four games. Utah did not let the numbers get in its head and put forth a high-paced, even-keeled effort that earned it two more points in the Western Conference playoff race.

As mentioned, Kesselring took advantage of the chance to prove himself as a legitimate top-four defenseman; Jaxson Stauber showed that he can play in the NHL; Olli Määttä earned a spot on Finland’s 4 Nations Face-Off team — a chance he may not have gotten if he’d stayed in Detroit.

Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) shoots the puck against St. Louis Blues left wing Pavel Buchnevich (89) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak) Utah Hockey Club’s four goals had one common denominator.

Watch the Game Highlights from Utah Hockey Club vs. Winnipeg Jets, 01/20/2025. Home; NFL; NCAAF; NBA; NHL; NCAAB; NCAAW; MLB; Daily Draw; Fantasy Sports; Soccer; Tennis; Golf; WNB

Earlier this month, the trademark for Utah Yetis was refused by the United States Patent and Trademark Office due to a

The Utah Hockey Club has made an impact immediately in the NHL. In just their first season in the league, they've already developed a passionate group of fans and garnered support around the hockey community as they try to sneak into one of the Western Conference Wild Card spots.