SALT LAKE CITY — The Delta Center held a capacity crowd of passionate hockey fans, awaiting the state’s newest team to arrive.
“Everything that we’ve heard, you know the building is always super loud, we’re really looking forward to having them behind our backs,” said Utah’s newest left winger Clayton Keller on the fan base.
Just a week after the sale of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith, Utah’s hockey team had a warm welcome Wednesday morning.
“Stepping off the plane was unbelievable. Just seeing youth hockey programs, a lot kids that know all of our names, we couldn’t be more excited,” Keller said.
The alternate team captains, Keller and Lawson Crouse, spoke to the media on what they knew about Utah before their arrival.
“I’ve been blown away by the mountains. To see the snow, it kind of brings me back to my childhood being from Canada,” said Crouse.
Utah may not have a team name yet, but it has the support and the players feel it.
“We’re now a part of history, and not too many people get to say that they can do this,” said Keller. "Obviously the circumstances over the past couple of weeks have been unlike anything other. To be here now, we feel honored. We feel blessed. We’re looking forward to getting things rolling."
