Now that the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season has come to an end, we’re taking a closer look at each player’s performance. Here’s how the UHC forwards performed in 2024-25.
Clayton Keller
Grade: A+
There was nothing asked of Clayton Keller that he didn’t do this season. Lead the team as its first captain? Check. Be the top offensive contributor? Check.
Keller improved throughout the year in many aspects, on the ice and off it. He became a true play driver, and his year-over-year point totals reflect that. From a media perspective, he seemed more comfortable talking as the season went on, which often led to more thoughtful answers.
If Keller can take another step forward next season (which is expected), he could really prove himself as a top-10 winger in the NHL.
Logan Cooley
Grade: A+
There are few U21 players who are expected to carry as much weight as Logan Cooley — the list probably consists of himself, Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini — and he did an impeccable job.
It wasn’t just offensive production, either, though he certainly brought that. He put a large focus on the defensive side of his game, and it paid off in terms of trust from the coaching staff.
Cooley also came out of his shell as a person, too. He seemed to have an all-business mentality in the first half of the season, but by the end of the year he seemed comfortable.
The only question now is how many zeroes will be on the end of Cooley’s upcoming contract extension. (Hint: It will be a lot.)
Dylan Guenther
Grade: A+
Utah HC could always count on Dylan Guenther when it needed a goal. In fact, he was tied for fifth in the league with nine game-winning goals this season — and he’s the youngest player in the top 40.
Kevin Stenlund
Grade: A+
The only regret Utah’s management will have regarding Kevin Stenlund is that it didn’t sign him to a longer deal. He outplayed his $2 million cap hit all year long.
Stenlund’s work as a penalty kill and face-off specialist helped the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup last year, and it kept UHC in a lot of games this year. He also chipped in offensively far more than he was ever expected to.
Stenlund is among the quieter guys in the locker room, but his actions speak louder than his words ever could. He embraces the “never too high, never too low” mentality, which is one of the most important things a young team can learn.
Barrett Hayton
Grade: A
The first half of the season wasn’t as consistent as Barrett Hayton would have liked, but he deserves credit for never giving up — he picked up his production somewhere along the way, earning new career highs in every offensive category.
Hayton also grew as a two-way player. He was often in charge of shutting down the opposition’s stars, which earned him the opportunity to play in key situations.
Nick Schmaltz
Grade: A-
Nick Schmaltz set a career high in points this season and came three shy of his best goal total. That’s remarkable, considering he didn’t tally a single goal in his first 23 games.
Schmaltz was part of the leadership group this season with an “A” on his jersey, but at least from a public perspective, he didn’t seem to embrace the off-ice portion of his role as much. He was almost never available for comments without putting in special requests and as much as the players praised the other captains for their leadership, Schmaltz was almost never in that conversation.
Alexander Kerfoot
Grade: A-
Like Stenlund, Alexander Kerfoot excelled as a penalty killer all season long. He also may have been one of the most versatile players in the league, spending time on all four lines and playing center and both wings.
Kerfoot is also highly respected as a leader in Utah’s locker room.
His offensive production wasn’t quite what it has been in the past, which is the only reason for the “minus” tacked onto his grade.
Jack McBain
Grade: B
The month of November made everyone wonder if Jack McBain’s ceiling was higher than they’d ever thought. But the momentum didn’t carry over into subsequent months and he finished the season with similar numbers to last year (though he did set new career highs in goals and points, however slightly).
He seemed to really find a role toward the end of the season as a third-line energy guy. Every good team has players like that, and his size makes him a commodity. As long as he can be that guy, he’ll have a job in the NHL.
Josh Doan
Grade: B-
When Josh Doan scored five goals and nine points in 11 games last season, the hockey world wondered if he’d follow in his father’s footsteps and write his name at the top of a franchise’s record books someday.
The 2024-25 season pumped the brakes on those conversations, though it’s still not out of the question — Shane Doan had fewer points per game in his 23-year-old season than Josh did in his.
He’s still trying to find his true NHL role. He showed flashes of top-tier skill while playing a hard, heavy style of hockey. At any rate, he proved that this is the league he belongs in.
Lawson Crouse
Grade: C+
Lawson Crouse’s time in Utah didn’t start the way he wanted. He struggled to put the puck in the net, which had always been a major part of his identity as a hockey player. But the 4 Nations Face-Off break gave him the chance to reflect, at which point he realized what he needed to do differently.
He still wasn’t a go-to guy offensively after the break, but he stopped having 10-game point droughts. His game displayed more confidence and physicality. Give him credit for finding ways to contribute.
Michael Carcone
Grade: C+
At his exit interview, Michael Carcone did not mince words: He was not happy with his playing time this season, and for that reason, he plans to find a new NHL home.
Carcone spent a large chunk of the season watching from the press box, which is largely due to the fact that Utah’s forward group had very few injuries. When he did play, though, he always seemed like he had something to prove — he played with the fire of an undrafted, undersized guy — which is exactly what he is.
“I’ve scored 20 goals in this league. “There’s no reason I can’t do it again,” he said.
You can’t help but feel bad for a guy like Carcone. If he were six inches taller and 20 pounds heavier, he’d get a much longer runway. He plays a big game, but his frame just doesn’t make him as impactful as some of his teammates.
Liam O’Brien
Grade: C+
Liam O’Brien’s playing time was significantly less this season than last, which decreased the impact he was able to have on the team.
But even when he wasn’t playing, he showed up ready to work every day and had a smile on his face. Sometimes, that’s all you need from your depth players.
He also embraced his role as a fighter, which made him even more of a fan favorite than he already was.
Kailer Yamamoto
Grade: C+
Kailer Yamamoto spent the majority of the season in the minors, but he made the most of it. He scored more than a point per game in the AHL, as well as a handful of points during his NHL call-ups.
Like Carcone, Yamamoto’s job would be more secure if he were a little bigger. He probably belongs on an NHL roster, but there aren’t many teams that have room for smaller guys unless they can consistently put the puck in the net.
Nick Bjugstad
Grade: C
Offseason back surgery held Nick Bjugstad out of training camp and the first eight games of the season. When he returned, he struggled to produce the way he previously had.
Bjugstad said one of his priorities this offseason will be getting back to full strength so that he can have a bounce-back year.
Matias Maccelli
Grade: D
Nobody was happy with Matias Maccelli’s play this season — himself included. Long stretches of ineffectiveness earned him a near-permanent seat in the press box the latter three months of the season.
General manager Bill Armstrong related Maccelli to Lawson Crouse, who struggled in the 2021 season, only to come back and be among the team’s top six scorers in each of the next two seasons. The onus is on the player, Armstrong said, to make adjustments during the summer in order to bounce back the next season.
