The Utah Hockey Club, formerly the Arizona Coyotes, enters their March 30, 2025, road matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks with an eye toward continued improvement and a push toward playoff contention in their inaugural season under a new identity. With a record of 28-25-9, Utah has outperformed expectations this season and has managed to stay competitive in the Western Conference thanks to an evolving core of young talent, improved goaltending, and the injection of energy that came from the franchise’s move and rebranding. Head coach André Tourigny has emphasized team structure, aggressive forechecking, and smart transition play, and his players have largely bought into that philosophy. The team’s balanced attack, dependable top-four defensemen, and a strong performance in tight games have helped Utah steadily climb the standings, giving the organization and its growing fanbase a sense of optimism for the first time in several years. Offensively, the club has leaned on the breakout performances of top forwards Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley. Keller, now fully established as a top-line winger, leads the team in points and has continued to showcase his elite skating, playmaking, and finishing abilities. His chemistry with rookie standout Cooley—who has brought explosive speed and slick hands to Utah’s top-six—has turned into one of the more exciting forward pairings in the division. Cooley has added an element of creativity that the franchise has sorely lacked in recent years, and his presence on the power play has helped Utah’s man-advantage unit convert at an efficient 23%. Alongside them, veteran forwards like Nick Schmaltz and Lawson Crouse provide stability, leadership, and much-needed physicality.

Crouse in particular has been a force in front of the net and on the penalty kill, while Barrett Hayton has quietly developed into a strong two-way center anchoring the middle six. Defensively, the team has improved significantly since last season. J.J. Moser, Sean Durzi, and Juuso Välimäki form a reliable trio on the blue line, capable of moving the puck efficiently and limiting second-chance opportunities in the defensive zone. While they aren’t an overly physical unit, they are smart positionally and transition the puck well, allowing Utah to avoid long defensive zone shifts. In goal, Karel Vejmelka has stepped up and delivered several strong performances in March, giving the team consistency between the pipes. Vejmelka’s ability to make timely saves—especially in games where Utah is outshot—has played a major role in the club’s ability to stay competitive night in and night out. Utah’s biggest strength has been its resilience in close games and its ability to capitalize on special teams. Their penalty kill is effective at over 80%, and the team has developed a habit of scoring timely goals in one-goal games. Heading into Chicago, Utah will look to keep its momentum after a solid road win in Detroit. While they are the favorites against a rebuilding Blackhawks squad, Utah knows they can’t afford to take anyone lightly at this stage of the season. Every point counts, and the club will rely on its speed, structure, and goaltending to secure a crucial road victory in their pursuit of a postseason berth.