We’re not far from the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season, and while we’ve gone over the schedule, let’s take a deeper dive and focus on seven games fans must circle in red on their respective calendars.
Each game you’ll see listed below boasts something of significance, so we didn’t just randomly pick seven matchups. Why did we roll with the following seven games? Keep reading for a quick rundown of each and what makes them so important to the 2024-25 Utah Hockey Club.
October 8th vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Well, it’s the season-opener and the Utah Hockey Club’s opening night, and all eyes will be on this one. But this game goes even further, because it kicks off Year 2 for the generational talent in Connor Bedard, and it will be up to Utah to make sure he doesn’t get the best of them.
October 24th vs. Colorado Avalanche
The Utah Hockey Club will face its closest geographic division rival for the first time in this one, and it will be the first chapter in a plethora of high-stakes matchups between the two organizations. Utah will definitely want to get things started correctly against one of the NHL’s best teams, even if they will more than have their work cut out for them.
November 7th at St. Louis Blues
Utah general manager Bill Armstrong spent the majority of his career working under St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, so this is a major measuring stick game for the former. With the Blues perhaps in yet another rebuilding year, this matchup could also be a golden opportunity for Utah, but it’s one they’ll want to win for their general manager.
November 30th vs. Edmonton Oilers
Utah will have its first crack at the defending Western Conference Champions on November 30th, and playing Edmonton factors in as the ultimate measuring stick matchup in the conference. Overall, this will be the second-hardest, if not the hardest game on this list to win, but snagging a W vs. Edmonton will factor as a massive momentum booster.
December 30th at Seattle Kraken
Yep, we’re rolling with the NHL’s two newest franchises here not long after every fan of the Seattle Kraken looked forward to facing off against the Vegas Golden Knights in the previous three seasons. Unfortunately, these two teams aren’t geographic or division rivals, but there’s something about newer teams striving to get the best of one another, so perhaps the Kraken will be that “inter-divisional” and not “intra-divisional” rival.
January 8th vs. Florida Panthers
Utah won’t play the defending Stanley Cup Champions until January 8th, and as with Edmonton, this is yet another measuring stick matchup. Florida will be one of the best, if not the best, teams in hockey once again, and it’s a massive opportunity for Utah to knock them off and shine.
April 10th vs. Nashville Predators
Utah will face the Nashville Predators for the first time long before April 10h, but this game kicks off a mini, end-of-season gauntlet of sorts. And that, once again, gives Utah a massive opportunity to pull off an upset and end the year the way they want to, whether or not the playoffs are on the table.