In simply the previous 24 hours, there’s been a whole lot of information and rumors swirling across the Utah Hockey Membership. For a group that didn’t make the playoffs, they appear to be one of many groups with probably the most trending tales behind them. From a doable title leak to a participant getting his first probability to play for his nation, it’s been a busy week for Utah. Let’s get into a number of the newest information and rumors.
Delta Middle Renovations Are Underway
Beginning with the largest official information, renovations on the Delta Middle are formally underway. It marks the second straight summer season the place the house of Utah and the NBA’s Utah Jazz can have zero occasions till preseason in September.
Ever because the group was delivered to Salt Lake Metropolis, we’ve identified that the modernization of the sector would take years to be accomplished. A timeline was revealed final summer season exhibiting the plans of development that may final till Oct. 2027. In response to that timeline, this summer season will embrace demolishing and rebuilding the decrease bowl and new retractable seating.
Right here’s Delta Middle’s schedule for renovation. #UtahHC pic.twitter.com/pHrXqqgnZC
— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) July 6, 2024
That’s certainly what shall be taking place this summer season, the Smith Leisure Group confirmed on Wednesday, and to nobody’s shock, proprietor Ryan Smith is as soon as once more making magic occur. The sector will implement the world’s first retractable seating system that can present one of the best sightlines for each the NHL and the NBA. When dual-use arenas are constructed, they’re primarily considered for hockey first on account of an ice rink being larger than a basketball courtroom. SEG is ensuring each Utah and the Jazz can have equally unimaginable seats for followers.
“Including an ice rink inside an present basketball enviornment is an unthinkable feat provided that an ice rink is almost double the scale of a basketball courtroom,” Smith stated. “We’re excited for the problem as we kick off this never-before-done renovation challenge. This transformation will create probably the most compelling, welcoming, and thrilling expertise for hockey followers, whereas additionally permitting us to keep up the steep vertical seating for basketball that has made Delta Middle such a dynamic venue with its loud ambiance that energizes our gamers evening after evening.”
With this new characteristic, each seat within the decrease bowl can have an entire view of the ice beginning subsequent season. That is helped with the extension of the decrease bowl by 12 toes and elevating the ground by two toes. By the top of the renovations in 2027, Delta Middle can have a capability for hockey of round 17,000 and a capability for basketball of round 19,000.
Right here’s a have a look at renderings of Utah HC and Jazz video games in Delta Middle subsequent season. Seems to be fairly cool. #UtahHC pic.twitter.com/zrAxJPRcko
— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) April 30, 2025
On high of that, new premium areas shall be added to degree one, rest room capability shall be elevated by 12%, and 4 new dehumidifiers shall be added to maintain the ice at peak situation. Maybe the largest information is {that a} new 450-stall parking storage will start development behind the Delta Middle.
It gained’t simply be the Delta Middle getting main renovations this summer season. Downtown Salt Lake Metropolis may look a little bit completely different as effectively when hockey season rolls round. On Tuesday, the Salt Lake County Council formally permitted the sale of a portion of the historic Salt Palace Conference Middle to SEG. The group plans on tearing down that portion of the Salt Palace to be able to construct a revitalized downtown leisure district that Smith desires to be one that draws thousands and thousands to Salt Lake Metropolis.
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This has been within the works ever because the NHL arrived within the metropolis. The council deemed that this property sale, specifically, is a “obligatory situation” for the Delta Middle’s enchancment. The challenge will goal to attach Salt Lake Metropolis’s hottest hubs, like Temple Sq. and Metropolis Creek Middle, to the Delta Middle. It marks one other step Smith and his possession group will take to be able to flip the Delta Middle and downtown Salt Lake Metropolis right into a world-class vacation spot.
“By taking such vital steps to remodel Delta Middle right into a world-class facility for each skilled basketball and hockey, the Jazz and Utah’s NHL group will develop into anchors of downtown Salt Lake Metropolis for many years to return,” Smith stated. “Followers shall be additional immersed within the recreation evening expertise each inside and outdoors the sector as we work to reimagine the downtown expertise of Utah’s capital metropolis. We sit up for welcoming everybody again for the 2025-26 seasons.”
Smith and his group will achieve management of the land by Feb. 2027. Development is anticipated to start in 2027 or 2028.
Utah Mammoth Formally Confirmed?
The renovations at Delta Middle and across the enviornment would’ve been the largest Utah information of the week if it wasn’t for the potential leak of Utah’s title.
For the previous couple of months, followers and media theorized that Utah could be releasing the brand new and everlasting title of the group across the 2025 Draft. Theories that grew stronger when SEG introduced the ultimate three names in January that followers at Delta Middle might vote for: Hockey Membership, Mammoth, and Wasatch, which was rapidly changed by Outlaws.
Now, as summer season rapidly approaches, it was solely a matter of time earlier than somebody slipped up, and it looks like we’ve gotten that leak. On Tuesday evening, the group modified its YouTube deal with to Utah Mammoth. It went viral on social media earlier than the group rapidly took down the entire channel.
The Utah Hockey Membership has modified their YouTube title to Utah Mammoth. #UtahHC pic.twitter.com/eR5XO9KPdF
— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) April 30, 2025
Mammoth has been by far the most well-liked title out of the ultimate three candidates. Followers have dressed up like mammoths to video games ever since January, and the hashtag TusksUp has been a preferred one across the fanbase.
If you happen to’re searching for any updates from SEG on the state of affairs, good luck. Aside from the YouTube mishap, the group has been fairly tight-lipped concerning the title, together with after the potential leak.
“We’re absolutely on observe to announce a reputation and id forward of the 2025-26 season,” SEG govt Mike Maughan stated.
It’s the identical quote Maughan gave the media again in January when requested something concerning the title.
Outdoors of the title greater than seemingly being Mammoth, we don’t know something concerning the brand, coloration scheme, and jerseys apart from the mockups that had been launched with the ultimate three names, the colours most definitely being the identical as they’re now, and that one of many inaugural jerseys could possibly be sticking round. Nonetheless, we are able to assume with the group altering its YouTube title to Mammoth now in April that the title will most definitely be formally revealed earlier than the draft.
Is Jon Cooper Utah’s Subsequent Head Coach?
If the potential title leak wasn’t sufficient, extra rumors concerning the group got here out early on Wednesday, this time concerning the personnel behind the bench.
Larry Brooks, who’s a longtime reporter for the New York Rangers, reported on X that he’s heard a good quantity of chatter on Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper and doubtlessly being linked to Utah. Cooper signed a one-year extension final yr to remain the pinnacle coach of the Lightning, the place he’s gained two Stanley Cups.
Cooper has been with the Lightning since 2012, making him the longest tenured head coach within the NHL. Presently, he’s in the course of his eighth straight playoff look with the Lightning, the place they discover themselves down 3-1 of their first-round collection with the Florida Panthers.
Nonetheless, Cooper has been good pals with Smith for a very long time. When the Lightning visited Utah in March, Cooper fell in love with the state immediately. Earlier than even being requested a query, the coach raved about his time off in Utah.
“I went proper to Park Metropolis, checked out the ski hills and Essential Avenue,” Cooper stated. “Didn’t wish to go away, however needed to go away as a result of I wished to return again and watch the Jazz. So, I went to the Jazz recreation. Had a blast. They handled us unbelievably effectively. I went to mattress and confirmed up right here for our recreation. It’s been a extremely good journey.”
Cooper was requested about doubtlessly becoming a member of Utah for the 2026-27 season, which might be the season after his contract is up with the Lightning. He prevented answering it by laughing and sharing extra about his time in Utah.
Whereas Cooper could also be related to Utah, they do presently have a head coach. André Tourigny’s contract doesn’t finish till after the 2026-27 season, and he hasn’t finished a lot to warrant getting fired. Each season that he’s coached this group, they’ve solely gotten higher and higher. Now with the assist of possession behind him, he took the group to their finest season, lacking the playoffs by solely a few factors.
It’s extremely unlikely at this level that Tourigny is fired earlier than his contract is up. He, too, has shaped nice bonds inside SEG, together with attending Jazz video games with Smith. Nonetheless, within the NHL, teaching can change rapidly, particularly with a poor begin. Final season, Jim Montgomery was fired early into the season after the Boston Bruins got here out of the gate with a mediocre begin. Montgomery had simply led the Bruins to one of the best season in NHL historical past and gained the Jack Adams Award in 2023, and took the group to the second spherical in 2024.
Whereas something might occur, as of proper now, Cooper nonetheless has a yr left on his contract with the Lightning, and Tourigny has two left with Utah. If this rumor is true, extra gained’t come out of it till seemingly the top of the following season. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how Utah does throughout the 2025-26 season. If it goes poorly, Tourigny very may effectively have his job on the road.
Josh Doan Named to Workforce USA
Extra information got here out on Wednesday about Utah and the World Championship. Josh Doan was named to Workforce USA for the upcoming IIHF World Championship. This would be the first time Doan represents his nation.
Doan appeared in 51 video games throughout Utah’s inaugural season, scoring seven objectives and 12 assists for 19 factors. He additionally appeared in 28 video games for the Tucson Roadrunners, the place he scored 26 factors and was named to the AHL All-Star Traditional, which he didn’t attend on account of a recall to Utah.
Doan joins teammates Michael Kesselring, Clayton Keller, and Logan Cooley as Utah’s representatives for America. He additionally joins former Arizona State College teammate Joey Daccord, who shall be one of many nation’s goaltenders throughout the event. Doan’s father, Shane, skated for Workforce Canada six instances on the World Championship, successful gold twice and being named captain thrice.
Maksymilian Szuber was additionally not too long ago chosen to attend the World Championship for Workforce Germany. With the Roadrunners, Szuber was arguably one of many group’s most necessary defensemen, scoring 32 factors in 65 video games, which was second finest on the group, solely behind Robbie Russo. He joins the 4 Individuals and Karel Vejmelka for Czechia because the six Utah representatives on the World Championship this summer season.
Current Signings
Lastly, on Tuesday, Utah signed Jaxson Stauber to a two-year, two-way extension. Stauber appeared in six NHL video games with Utah this season, posting a 2-1-1 report with a .892 save share and a 3.26 goals-against common. He recorded the first-ever shutout in franchise historical past in November towards the Vegas Golden Knights.
With the Roadrunners, Stauber recorded a 12-7-2 report. It was within the playoffs the place he thrived. After the group misplaced their first recreation towards the Abbotsford Canucks, Stauber began the second recreation the place he made 38 saves, serving to the Roadrunners win their first playoff recreation since 2023 and power a Recreation 3. In complete, he made 72 saves on 77 pictures throughout his two video games within the playoffs.
With Stauber, the Roadrunners will seemingly as soon as once more run the identical dependable tandem that they had this season with him and Matt Villalta. Utah may also depend on calling him up if wanted. With the uncertainty of Connor Ingram’s future, bringing again Stauber makes their backup place subsequent season a little bit clearer.
Final week, the group additionally signed Michal Kunc to a one-year, two-way deal. In 49 video games with HC Olomouc of the Czech Extraliga this season, the 24-year-old scored 35 factors. Whereas it’s exhausting to inform if abroad gamers will translate effectively to the NHL (Utah has had poor examples with Patrik Koch and Milos Keleman), it’s one other low-risk, doubtlessly high-reward state of affairs right here. If Kunc can play effectively, he might earn a roster spot on Utah out of coaching camp. Worst case situation, he turns into part of the Roadrunners or goes again to Europe.
