Utah Hockey Club says goodbye to Delta Center fans for now

When Sean Durzi first moved into his new house in Utah, he answered plenty of hockey-related questions from his neighbors.

This week, though, the Utah Hockey Club defenseman was walking through the community and there was a clear shift in the conversations he was having.

“They’re talking about the power play and penalty kill. Just that kind of growth is special,” Durzi said. “We also felt like there’s something special in Utah. Not only our growth as a team but our growth as a state and the buzz around us.”

As Utah Hockey Club players raised their sticks to salute the Delta Center crowd for the final time this season on Thursday night, that appreciation — and evolution of the fandom — was on full display. Despite the 4-3 loss to the Nashville Predators, loud applause rang through the arena to send the team off.

It was the bookend to a historic 41 games in Salt Lake City.

(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Fans cheer a Utah Hockey Club goal versus the Seattle Kraken at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

“Just a special moment,” said captain Clayton Keller. “First season here — it’s NHL history. Sometimes it’s crazy to think about that. Just how quickly it happened and how good of a move it’s been. Just super thankful.”

The Club took a 2-0 lead with goals from Nick Bjugstad and Josh Doan in the second period but Nashville came back to make it 3-2 by 3:17 of the third period. Dylan Guenther’s game-tying goal — and his 27th of the season — at 5:42 forced overtime but Utah ultimately fell in the shootout.

It, obviously, was not the result Utah wanted — and highlighted some of the team’s biggest struggles this season (giving up leads and closing out games) — but there was much to celebrate, too.

“In only the way that Utah does it, we knew that you would all show up,” owner Ryan Smith said on the ice after the game. “They did their part, you did your part. This was a test year — it’s about to get fun.”

The same raucous, curious and ever-loyal crowd that packed the arena on Oct. 8 for the team’s opening night remained six months later. However this time there were jerseys dispersed, known chants bouncing off the walls and a healthy amount of vegetable hats worn in honor of goalie Karel “Veggie” Vejmelka who finished the game with 28 saves and earned the Team MVP award.

“It’s a great feeling, especially in the first year,” Vejmelka said. “But I would say it’s a team trophy and team award. I couldn’t get the trophy without the guys, without my teammates. They’re a big part of it and I really appreciate it.”

His thoughts on the vegetable costumes?

“It’s kind of cool,” Vejmelka said. “I have to start eating more broccoli for lunch, actually.”

Utah was officially eliminated from the 2024-25 playoffs on Wednesday following the Minnesota Wild’s win. That did not stop the fans — or as they call themselves, “the clubbers” — from reminiscing on the moments made by their NHL franchise this year.

For fan Tyler Winn, Thursday marked his 12th game of the season at Delta Center. He had never been into hockey before the team’s move to Salt Lake City. Winn and his friends bought last-minute tickets to the Club’s first game and have been hooked ever since.

“I caught the itch,” Winn said. “My wife and kids have never cared about sports and we’re in front of the TV every other night. I love it — it changed my life.”

Season ticket-holder Jenny Chapman was at the game with her two young sons who both played hockey in Utah before the team arrived. She also grew up playing the sport in Utah. Her family used to drive to Las Vegas to watch the Golden Knights play but “immediately” switched their allegiances when the Club touched down in Salt Lake.

“We were there when they got off the plane at the airport. That was a highlight for sure. They got all of their autographs,” Chapman said. “They want to play in the NHL when they’re older. He’s a goalie, he loves watching Veggie in the net. We sit behind the net so we can watch him the whole time.”

Corie and Scott Samuelsen — who went in on season tickets with their neighbors — have been entrenched in the Utah hockey community for a long time, too.

“When we first started dating, all our dates were at the Golden Eagles games,” Scott said. “We’re happy to be here. We’re glad it’s here in Utah and looking forward to the future.”

Corie agreed.

“It’s been so fun. Just the atmosphere and seeing the team, how they came together,” Corie said. “It’s been a really fun experience, the whole thing. Everybody’s into the game, loud, cheering for the team.”

Those cheers lasted following the final buzzer.

As the players left the ice for the last time of the 2024-2025 campaign, it was hard not to think about their first time skating onto it 181 days ago. They felt prepared, yes, but held the pressure of delivering for their new market.

“I think we were all pretty nervous for that, I’m not gonna lie,” said Liam O’Brien, who quickly turned into a fan favorite known as Spicy Tuna. “It was an interesting feeling. There were some butterflies and stuff.”

Guenther, who scored the first goal in franchise history — and also the last at Delta Center this season — reflected on the moments before he and the team made their regular-season debut. Guenther knew the Utahns were committed based on the enthusiasm at the welcome party in April, he said, but support through a full 82-game run was a different thing.

“A little uncertainty not really knowing how we would be accepted and how the fans would like us. But it’s been great every night. I think they’ve shown out even better as the season’s gone on. It’s just a super fun place to play,” Guenther said. “I think we were a little bit caught off guard by it at the start of the season. We had never had that before.”

While Guenther has only been in the league for one full season, Ian Cole — who is in his 15th NHL season — felt similarly.

Cole was one of Utah general manager Bill Armstrong’s veteran additions on the blueline during the offseason — he also signed a one-year extension with Utah in March. Towards the end of his career, he got to experience something brand new. Nothing from his past pedigree in the league could fully prepare him for this next chapter.

Cole sat in his stall in the Utah locker room Thursday morning ahead of the game and chuckled when thinking back to the Club’s opening night at Delta Center.

“Walking through that massive tunnel of fans into the rink and just trying not to trip — walk through the door and not into the door,” Cole said. “Just palpable energy in the building for that first game and really that hasn’t changed over the course of the year. Our fans have been so energetic, engaged and become so knowledgeable about the game. It’s been a real treat.”

This season marks the first time since Cole’s rookie year in 2010-2011 that he has missed the postseason. The defenseman, nonetheless, is optimistic about the future in Utah.

“We need to take a look in the mirror and figure out how we can be better moving forward,” he said. “There’s a lot of positivity going forward and hopefully some long playoff runs for many years.”

The fans are ready for it.

Every Utah Hockey Club home game this season has sold out the 11,131 full-view tickets offered. On top of that, fans have used 40,000 single-goal view tickets since Jan. which were made available through programs with Smith’s and Moxie Pest Control. And the people want more — 90% of current season ticket members will renew for the 2025-26 NHL season.

This year, it seems, was only the launching point for what Salt Lake City can be as a hockey market.

“This became a hockey town overnight,” Winn said. “1,000%.”