For a team that was a downtrodden franchise in its previous incarnation, having someone like Alexander Kerfoot in the lineup will be invaluable to the Utah Hockey Club. Overall, Kerfoot has 48 games worth of playoff experience with six goals and 18 points to show for it throughout his time with the Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs, so not only does he know what it takes to get to the playoffs, Kerfoot knows how to perform well in the postseason.
While Utah probably won’t get there in 2024-25, it doesn’t mean they’re a team without a foundation. In previous pieces involving players who fans will want to get to know, we have explored several involved with that foundation already, but few boast Kerfoot’s experience.
This is a seven-year veteran who possesses immense durability, having barely missed a game in his NHL career since he burst onto the scene in 2017-18 for Colorado. But he brings more than just experience and durability. Kerfoot’s overall numbers aren’t great, but they’re also not that bad, so let’s explore them further.
Alexander Kerfoot may be a complementary producer for the Utah Hockey Club
Last season, Alexander Kerfoot brought a steady hand to Arizona, finishing the year with 13 goals and 32 assists, good for 45 points and 13 more than he had during his previous campaign with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022-23.
He also contributed well defensively, receiving a few Selke votes as one of the top two-way forwards in hockey, and Kerfoot also proved to block shots like a defenseman and land body checks like a bottom-six forward. While his faceoff win percentage wasn’t outstanding, Kerfoot still finished the year taking 47.8 of them out of 450 attempts - not a bad number.
He gave Arizona reliable play on the top-six, yet you can’t help but think that Kerfoot would be best suited in a mid-to-bottom-six role in which he could get between 13:30 and 15:30 of average total ice time. You won’t see him wow you with outstanding play or anything close, but a solid skater who can fill with top-six minutes when needed will be valuable for Utah in 2024-25.