Utah forward Clayton Keller was named the first captain of the Utah Hockey Club on Friday. Seattle and Utah were the only two teams in the NHL without a captain. Now, it’s only Seattle.
The 26-year-old led Arizona in goals (33), points (76), and assists (43) last season. They are naming Keller the captain, which is a no-brainer. He was the alternate captain for Arizona the past two seasons, and he was going to be the captain at some point.
Throughout his career, he has scored 166 goals and 418 points in 520 games. If he can stay healthy and score 30+ goals for the next ten years, he will be in conversation with some of the greatest players in this sport.
Did Utah give him the title too soon? The time seems fair with the excitement of a new team in a new city.
Clayton Keller Named First Captain For Utah Hockey Club
According to nhl.com, Keller is humble and grateful to be named the team captain:
"I'm extremely honored to be named captain of Utah Hockey Club," Keller said. "I'm grateful for this opportunity and thank the organization for believing in me. I understand it's a privilege to be a captain in the NHL and a huge honor to know that management, coaches, and my teammates believe in me to lead this team. It's a huge responsibility I have prepared my whole life for. We have a room full of great leaders and together, we will work hard to achieve our goal of becoming a playoff team."
Keller was Arizona's No. 7 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. He has had ups and downs with this organization. He has battled injuries, but Alisha has come back with his consistent play on the ice. Keller was the finalist for the Calder Trophy during the 2017-18 season, but it ended up in the hands of New York Islanders’ Matthew Barzal.
Keller is one of the elite players in today's game, and at times, he doesn’t get enough credit. However, he has grown a lot as a leader for this team and is highly respected by his teammates, coaches, and front-office management.
His leadership can be similar to Sidney Crosby's, and Keller looks up to Crosby, not only for what he does on the rink but also for being a great leader and humble person on and off the rink.
Keller is going to be around for years to come. He is determined to do everything he can to help Utah reach the playoffs and, hopefully, win the Stanley Cup.
Utah plays its first regular-season game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.