Thousands of fans prove Utah is a hockey state at NHL team intro event

Wednesday, April 24, 2024, will go down as a historic day in Utah sports history — Gov. Spencer Cox said so, and fans agreed.

Thousands descended on the Delta Center Wednesday to welcome Utah’s new NHL team to its new home. An hour before the doors opened, lines of fans vying to be among the lucky ones to be inside with the team wrapped around the outside of the arena.

“We’ve waited a long time for this day,” Cox said during the program. “It’s a historic day for the state of Utah.”

For Ogden resident and lifelong hockey fan Victoria Brammer, it was a no-brainer to attend Wednesday’s event.

“It’s history,” she said.

At the Delta Center, fans enjoyed hockey-themed games, face-painting, live music, free food and even 4v4 roller hockey. They were then invited inside and introduced to the team’s players, head coach André Tourigny and general manager Bill Armstrong in a special program.

Utah is a hockey state

A sold-out crowd and then some showed up to the event.

The Delta Center was filled to capacity, with fans sitting all the way up in the nosebleeds, trying to get a glimpse of their new hockey team. Hordes of fans hung out outside and watched the broadcast of the team’s introduction.

“It just shows you we are indeed a hockey town. Look how many people are here right now. Look at how many people have signed up for season tickets with deposits,” said Tyler Gulbransen from Midvale. “It’s incredible.

“People said hockey wasn’t going to work here, but it 100% is going to work here. I wanted to see what the turnout was going to be like. Like any other hockey fan, we’re dying for hockey here. We’re gonna support this team.”

Cox echoed those same thoughts.

“They told us that Utah was too small for an NHL team. They told us that we didn’t know hockey in Utah, and today we prove them all wrong,” the governor said.

Cheers of, “Let’s go, Utah,” pumped up the crowd before the team walked onto the ice, and the cheers only got louder throughout the program, often drowning out whatever players were saying over the microphone.

Several fans sported the sweaters of their favorite NHL teams, but for Gulbransen, his current allegiance to the Colorado Avalanche doesn’t dull his excitement for Utah’s NHL team at all.

“I was ecstatic, just knowing that we’re going to have so much NHL talent coming to Salt Lake,” he said. “It’s incredible. I will still stay loyal to the Avalanche. I’m going to try to get season tickets for the NHL team here and will support the team — except for when they’re playing the Avalanche, of course. It’s big for the community.”

NHL is a family affair in Utah

If Wednesday is any evidence, the NHL will definitely be a family affair in Utah. It already is, months before the team’s inaugural season even starts.

Edward Anderson from Bountiful came to the fan event to pique his 13-year-old son’s interest in hockey. He now gets to share the sport he loves with his son as they cheer on a new team they can support together.

They were one of the last ones allowed inside the arena.

“It’s the right time,” he said of Utah getting an NHL team. “I agree with (team owner) Ryan Smith. It’s the right time to bring them in. We’re ready for it. Fans are ready for it. It’s obvious.”

Brammer brought her 9-year-old son, Troy, to see the players and is looking forward to cheering on the new team as a family.

“I’ve been a hockey fan my whole life, and it makes sense to have a hockey team here — there’s a fanbase and everything,” she said. “We’ve gone to Grizzlies games, we’ve gone to Ogden Mustang games all the time. We watch Boston Bruins religiously, and now we get a home team. That’s even better.”

New role models in Utah

Armstrong and several players mentioned how touched they were by the number of young fans who showed up at the airport earlier in the day to welcome the team. Several young fans came to the Delta Center later to continue sharing that love.

Youth hockey players, including Kase Powell, Teagan McGuire and Bourke Tarbeth, were encouraged to wear their hockey sweaters at the event. The three friends are excited to have 19 new hockey role models in the state of Utah.

“It’s my first year (of hockey), and I’ve already loved it,” 12-year-old Powell said. “I definitely feel like this is my sport, and I’m really glad that there’s people to look up to and that we actually have a team representing our state.”