SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Mammoth's captain, Clayton Keller, is being recognized for his dedication, sportsmanship, and perseverance in the game of hockey. Keller was announced as a nominee for the 25-26 Masterton Trophy on Wednesday.
The Masterton Trophy commemorates the late Bill Masterton, a Minnesota North Stars player who was dedicated to the game. Masterton died in 1968 following an injury sustained in a game.
The Utah Mammoth announced Wednesday that the Utah Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association had chosen Keller as its nominee for the Masterton Memorial Trophy.
“Clayton is certainly deserving of this Masterton Trophy nomination,” said Bill Armstrong, general manager of the Utah Mammoth. “Clayton persevered through one of the hardest life events a man can encounter with tremendous leadership, perseverance, and resilience. It’s just one of many examples of why Clayton is an exemplary captain and the entire organization is extremely proud of everything he’s accomplished this season.”
This season on Thanksgiving, Keller received news that his father, Bryan, had passed away unexpectedly at home. Despite the tragedy, the team says Keller led the team in scoring and brought them to the cusp of their first-ever playoff berth.
Clayton Keller also achieved the lifelong goal that he shared with his father, being named to the Team USA roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics and helping snap the 46-year gold medal drought.
Keller has registered 26-54-80 in 77 games in 2025-26 and leads all Mammoth skaters in assists, points, even-strength points (23-33-56), multi-point games (26), and overtime goals (4). He is also one of only 16 NHL players to have 70 or more points in each of the last 4 seasons.
The winner of the Masterton Trophy is selected via a poll of the PHWA chapters, and a grant from the PHWA is awarded annually to the Bill Masterton Scholarship Fund in the name of the winner.
