A sports arena is more than a building. It’s part of the identity of the teams it facilitates.
Just like the NHL team it hosts, the Delta Center in Salt Lake City has seen tremendous growth over the last two years. Now, as the Utah Mammoth return home for Games 3 and 4 of their best-of-seven-series with the Vegas Golden Knights, the building prepares for its maiden voyage into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Here are some of its biggest moments since the NHL arrived in Utah.
April 24, 2024: ‘Welcome to Utah’ event
Aside from the handful of preseason games that had been played at the Delta Center in the years leading up to the team’s arrival, the welcome event was the first glimpse at the local crowd’s interest in hockey.
It did not disappoint.
Fans filled the building to capacity, and those who couldn’t get in tuned into the broadcast from the plaza outside.
“They told us that Utah was too small for an NHL team,” said Gov. Spencer Cox at the time. “They told us that we didn’t know hockey in Utah, and today we prove them all wrong.”
That was also the day that Liam O’Brien introduced himself as “Spicy Tuna,” becoming an instant fan favorite. He has since leveraged that brand into his own clothing line, Spicy Tuna Sporting Co.
Oct. 8, 2024: Inaugural game of the Utah Hockey Club
If you were to combine a state fair with an NHL game, the result would be the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural game.
Outside the arena, throngs gathered for mini games, food trucks, a concert with one of the biggest artists of that summer and a fighter jet flyover.
But the biggest party was inside the building. Dylan Guenther cracked open the scoring five minutes into the game, starting the team down the path to a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Having attended every home game in the franchise’s existence, I can confidently say that Oct. 8 was the second-loudest game at the Delta Center. First place goes to the Hockey Club’s first home preseason game on Sept. 23 against the Los Angeles Kings.
Summer 2025: First round of renovations
It’s well-documented that the Delta Center was not originally built with hockey in mind, which has made complex renovations necessary.
The first stage of a three-summer plan focused on the lower bowl. They designed a bleacher system to fit the steepness of the lower bowl and adjusted the height and length of the floor to accommodate it.
Every seat in the lower bowl now has full views, and the sections behind the nets have some of the steepest inclines in the NHL.
Upon completion of the project, the goal is to have full views from every seat. Exact plans for summer 2026 have yet to be revealed, but a seating chart sent out to season ticket holders in January provides a general idea of what it will look like.
Oct. 15, 2025: First home game under ‘Mammoth’ name
A rebrand was always part of Smith Entertainment Group’s plan. With the emergent nature of the situation that landed the team in Utah, there just wasn’t enough time to give it a proper name, logo and everything else that comes with the identity of a team.
Fans had their opinions on which direction it should go, but once “Mammoth” was official, everyone latched on. And between the “Tusks Up” slogan, the Zammoth, tusk-shaped beer cups and all the other branding initiatives, it seems to be a great choice.
The “Rock Black” Mammoth jerseys produced a win in their first-ever outing, topping the Calgary Flames 3-1.
Coincidentally, MacKenzie Weegar suited up for the Flames in that game. He’d later go on to score the Mammoth’s third-ever playoff goal, which he put in off the skate of now-Golden Knight Rasmus Andersson — the lone Flame to score in the Mammoth’s home opener.
April 24, 2026: First playoff game at the Delta Center
Everything thus far has led to Friday night: the first Stanley Cup Playoff game at the Delta Center.
The Mammoth took a split in Las Vegas, meaning the series is tied 1-1 as the teams head to Salt Lake City. And to this point, neither team has emerged as a clear favorite.
In other words, it’s anyone’s series for the taking.
“If it’s anything like the last month or so, it’s going to be super exciting,” Weegar said in anticipation of the game.
“I’m sure they’ve got another level that they want to go to. ... I’m sure they’re all anxious to get in that building and provide a lot of momentum for our group. So, we’re going to be ready to go and I’m sure we’ll come out of the gates flying for them.”
To this point in their existence, the Mammoth have sold out every game they’ve ever played. They do have the most expensive playoff tickets in the Western Conference, but it would be shocking if the building wasn’t packed for its playoff debut.
