The Utah Hockey Club has had a tough few weeks, and not all of it is their fault. Yes, they’ve dropped back-to-back games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers, but they’ve done a solid job of staying in the race since the March 8 trade deadline.
Unfortunately, the teams ahead of them in the standings aren’t making things any easier. The St. Louis Blues, who currently hold the second wild-card spot, have continued to pick up wins, making Utah’s path to the playoffs even tougher.
Right now, Utah sits nine points back of the Blues with nine games left on the schedule. While it’s still mathematically possible for them to make a late push, the odds are stacked against them. With each passing game, their playoff hopes continue to fade.
If Utah falls short of a playoff spot, it won’t be for lack of effort. For a first-year team navigating a relocation, new ownership, and everything that comes with it, they’ve exceeded expectations. They’ve battled hard, but sometimes, early-season losses come back to haunt you.
Regardless of how things shake out, one thing is clear—Utah will be aggressive this offseason in building a roster capable of contending for a playoff spot next year.
With nine games left, they’ll give it everything they’ve got. Now, it’s just a matter of seeing how the final stretch plays out.
Sean Durzi Forces Overtime With Goal, Utah HC Still Falls 2-1 to Florida Panthers
Any performance Utah had against Florida was bound to be better, considering it had just suffered its worst loss in franchise history the night before—<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/utah/latest-news/sergachevs-tampa-homecoming-spoiled-by-utah-hcs-worst-loss-in-franchise-history" target="_blank">a brutal 8-0 defeat against Tampa.</a>
Olli Maatta Exits With Injury in Utah's Loss Against Florida Panthers
Utah defenseman Olli Määttä has exited with a lower body injury and will not return in Utah's game against Florida.
Utah HC Makes Roster Moves Ahead Of Game Against Panthers
The Utah Hockey Club has announced that they have recalled goalie Matt Villalta from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. In a corresponding move, they have sent down Jaxson Stauber to the Roadrunners.