Whenever there is a new venue in the NHL or MLB, I prefer to wait until the Toronto team plays there to go, thus avoiding two trips. In the case of the Utah Hockey Club, this allowed me to wait until March, a good thing as ticket prices dropped throughout the season. The team moved here from Arizona and plays out of the Delta Center, a downtown venue that is home to the Utah Jazz. I saw an NBA playoff game here in 2001 (the Jazz were eliminated by the Mavericks in Game 5) but had not been back since, so it was almost like a new venue visit for me.
Sharpy and I spent the afternoon downtown and found that the third floor of the LDS Conference Center has a great view of the building with the mountains in the background.
The game had a late start of 8:00, and we got there an hour before after enjoying the Monday special of $3 pints at the Beerhive nearby. There are statues of Karl Malone and John Stockton out front to remind you that this is a basketball venue first and foremost.
The Delta Center opened in 1991 and Delta Airlines held the naming rights until 2006 when EnergySolutions bought them for a decade. Vivint then took them over for another 8 years until Delta decided to return. I really wonder how much these naming rights agreements add to the firm's bottom line; are people flying Delta more because of this? I go to a lot of venues and I can barely remember the new names once it changes, so I'm glad this went back to Delta, even if the airline is now an overpriced option when compared to American and United.
The sudden move from Arizona gave little time to come up with a new nickname and with the Jazz already one misnamed franchise, Utah Coyotes was not an option. Utah Hockey Club was an acceptable solution for one season but now that nickname is one of three possibilities for next year, with Mammoth and Outlaws the others. These two are both a billion times better than Hockey Club, which, if it remains the moniker, will end what little enjoyment I have for sports these days. Fans voted last month and the announcement should be made soon.
The arena ostensibly holds 16,200 for hockey and two IHL teams played here back in the 1990s; in fact the first game played here was the Salt Lake Golden Eagles and in 1996, the Utah Grizzlies set a record for minor league hockey with 17,318 fans for a Turner Cup Finals game (of course, that record has been broken with outdoor games; I'm not sure if it is still an indoor record). Since then, the arena was renovated and now many of the seats have obstructed views for hockey, with one goal hidden from view. As such, the team announces a sellout of 11,131 for each game (this number seems to have meaning as the new AAA ballpark will be at 11131 South Ballpark Way in South Jordan, a place I plan to visit next month). Further renovations are planned to increase the number of unobstructed view seats to 17,000 and perhaps I will return then.
For now, the obstructed seats are mostly in the corners and behind the nets on both levels. The shot below gives you an idea of the layout, which reminds me of Barclays Center when the Islanders played there.
However, things here are much steeper; look at those seats above the net. It isn't worth it to sit here when you can only see one goal. I picked up a pair of tickets in Row 12 of Section 131 (which is in the upper deck despite the 100-level designation) at center ice for $52 each and was happy with that, even if the steep angle prevents you from seeing the play along the boards.
I did not take a full tour of the facility, preferring to sit in my seat in anticipation of the game. Which turned out to be rather bad for my health, as most Leafs games are. The Buds scored a pair of power play goals in the first with William Nylander and Calle Järnkrok (in his first game of the season after an injury) doing the honours, and then had a weird one early in the second when a shot from the point by Simon Benoit fluttered in past Karel Vejmelka. It looked like a deflection off something and Steven Lorentz was in front with his stick above his shoulder, so a review was necessary. Thankfully the goal stood and after I got back home, I watched the replay to discover the deflection was off the stick of Utah's Clayton Keller. The goal was initially credited to Lorentz, which would have made it illegal, but eventually that was corrected and Benoit had his first of the season. Six seconds after the goal, Benoit scrapped with Michael Kesselring and tried a Superman punch, dislocating his thumb, which he popped back in while sitting in the penalty box. Quite an eventful couple of minutes for Benoit.
At this time, the Leafs held a 15-5 advantage in shots, but the review and fight seemed to kill their momentum as Utah scored two goals in 49 seconds before the midway part of the game. Three minutes after that and Benoit took a tripping penalty and of course, Utah tied it up on the power play.
The third period saw Utah outshoot the visibly tired Leafs 10-4, but Joseph Woll was equal to the task, sending us to overtime, which decided nothing, other than the fact that I need to get some heart medication. On to the shootout, which saw Utah start and miss their first two, while Auston Matthews scored on Toronto's second chance. Keller needed to score to keep it going and he did (scoreboard above) which brought Mitch Marner out with a chance to get both points for the Buds. A great move in close and he beat Vejmelka, making Sharpy and I very happy. The game was one of the longest of the season, taking 2:51 and ending a minute before 11:00. We scurried out to catch the train and ended up celebrating at a bar appropriately called the Penalty Box near our hotel in West Valley City.
Notes
We also visited the Utah Sports Hall of Fame, a free attraction that is worth about 30 minutes. Most interesting was the fact that George 'The Stork' Theodore was born in Utah.
We then stopped in at the Salt Lake Tabernacle and enjoyed an organ recital, which is quite impressive as the organ is one of the largest in the world.
The State Capitol is just a few blocks away and another worthwhile stop on the downtown tour. Lots to see in SLC and all of it free, so if you visit, make sure to stay at least one day here.
The Leafs are now 19-16-5 in my first visit to road rinks. The next one will be in Calgary in 2026-27.
Best,
Sean
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