Keller leading by example during Utah’s push for playoffs

Clayton Keller is not one to remain satisfied.

The Utah Hockey Club forward and captain is on pace for his best offensive season but feels he can still raise the bar and push his team into the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the same time.

“I always think I can be better no matter where I’m at, honestly,” Keller told NHL.com. “I think it’s just the constant work in the summer and during the season; before practice, after practice, before morning skate, and watching video.”

Keller has 77 points (24 goals, 53 assists) in 69 games in his eighth full season after being selected by the Arizona Coyotes with the No. 7 pick at the 2016 NHL Draft. He is on pace to surpass the career-high 86 points (37 goals, 49 assists) in 82 games he had with Arizona in 2022-23.

It has been a steady progression for the 26-year-old, who was named Utah’s first captain Oct. 4, 2024.

“It’s not just a one-year thing; it takes a lot of timing and sacrifice and effort -- that’s the thing I like most about it,” Keller said. “Maybe when other guys aren’t working and I’m working, that’s what I love. That’s something I’ve honed in on in these last few summers when we haven’t been in the playoffs.

“I’ve looked at it as a special opportunity for me to grow my game and get better. It also helps having great players around, and so many guys have helped me, so I wouldn’t have anything without those guys.”

Keller’s playoff experience is limited to nine games with Arizona in the COVID-19 shortened season of 2019-2020. Utah is looking to qualify in its inaugural season and is very much in the hunt, trying to catch the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card in the Western Conference.

Utah (32-27-11) trails St. Louis by six points entering its game against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday (9 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, Utah 16).

“We’re fighting for our lives every single night,” Keller said. “We’re playing tight games, it’s a tight race. Every team above us seems to win every night. You just have to do everything you can to focus on the game ahead and the rest will take care of itself.

“I think everyone in this room believes in one another and we have a lot of talent and young guys that have played great for us, and we’re only getting better. We’re definitely past the rebuild stage and we’re a team trying to take the next step. It’s exciting and everyone’s bought in, so it’s good to see.”

Utah had been playing .500 hockey for the majority of the season but has put together an 8-4-2 run since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break last month to remain in playoff contention. Keller has 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) over that stretch.

“I think ever since the break, our team mindset has changed a little bit, and you can just tell in the way we are playing, and we feel we can play in any style of game,” Keller said. “I think we’ve adjusted to that and been able to hold on to leads when we had them, come back in games when we were down a goal or two. It’s good to see and we have to keep it going.

“There’s a lot of work left to do, so it’s one game at a time.”

Keller has developed into a strong leader. His work ethic is contagious particularly on a team with a young core, rounding the corner after a number of rebuilding seasons in Arizona.

“The big thing about [Keller] is how driven he is; it’s never enough for him,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny said. “If you tell him he’s had a good season, he wants more, and I think that’s good leadership as well. That shows the kind of person he is and what kind of drive he has.

“He’s doing a really good job. I think he’s a big leader and a big contributor for us.”

Keller will be looking to continue his impressive play down this last stretch, one last push to try and get Utah into the playoffs. His teammates will be right behind him.

“He’s taken that next step as a leader,” forward Nick Bjugstad said. “As a younger guy in the League you’re trying to feel it out a little bit, and he’s getting to that point where he’s the leader of this team.

“He’s the heartbeat and we follow his lead, his energy level and his compete level.”