It's a challenging bump because you can't step on it, but then you played for a long time. But it has become synonymous with our next guest because she is a Rangers fan like myself. Different generations. I go way way back, and Bell is much.
Longer than I am.
But we'll do a little hockey little Utah Hockey Club with our friend, Belle Frasier probably Salt Lake Tribune Bell, Happy Monday.
How are you good?
How are you?
I'm doing well. I'm doing well, all right? So what gives? What's the biggest issue here? We got what five straight l's at this point, and young team, and it's been up and down all year, you know, not too long ago, they put together a nice three game, you know, winning streak, and now they've they've lost five straight. It does seem like they have real issues closing. I guess that's fair to say, because they can't hold on to a lead
when they have it. But what do you most attribute this, this five game losing streak to Belle?
You're a spot on with the closing. I think we've talked earlier in the season about for some reason, the second period seems to be a struggle for Utah Hockey Club, just with the goals they are giving again and not being able to produce the other way. And most recently during this five game losing streak, they've gone into the third period with one goal leads, tied, with a two goal lead, even and come out losing the game, whether
that be in regulation or overtime. So I think that, you know, clutch scoring and defending of a lead has been missing for this team. And it's partially I mean, there's no excuses. They'll say that too. It's the NHL. You have to see ready every night. That's what a lot of the players were saying after last night's loss. But they are missing two huge offensive pieces for them. Dylan Gunster and now Logan Cooley are both out with
lower body injuries. Logan Cooley was ruled out indefinitely earlier this week he got hurt in the Pittsburgh Penguins game, and Dylan Gunster has been out for a few weeks now. He's finally skating into regular jersey in practice, so coach said he was day today, which is good news for Utah. But when you take out two of your top six forwards who accounted for you know, a quarter of the scoring on this team before they were out. That's obviously going to have some impacts in the lineup, and then
defensively too, it's they're finally closer to healthy. Sergachev and John Marino are skating on the first pair and so that's the bright side. But it feels like even when players come back for Utah, they lose another guy. So I think it's partially where it's a young team, it's growing pains. Maybe it's fatigue at this point in the season when we're talking about the third period, but it's also that they're playing without two of their best players at the moment.
What is the plan on that first forward line with Logan going down?
Do you know what coach Torny is going to do?
Yeah, So Alex Kerkfoot has centered the first line the last two games between Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz, and at this point he has played on every single Utah line this season. He started mostly on the fourth line, but his versatility, you know, he's a veteran in that locker room, on and off the ice, power play, penalty kill, he's kind of used in all situations and he played with color and Schmaltz for a bit last year as well, so it's not a completely foreign combination, but it's the
first time Utah Hockey Club fans are seeing it. And Kerfoot actually scored in his first game on that line two games ago, was a NetFront knock and goal, and I talked to him earlier that week and he was saying, I need to be better. I expect more from myself, and I asked kind of specifically what he wanted to be better at. He said, getting around the net, getting pucks on net, and kind of fighting for inside ice. And that's exactly what he did with the heightened responsibility
on that first line. So obviously it's not a perfect fix. No one's going to bring exactly what Cooley brings. But they're lucky that they've had other healthy forwards be able to step up. And yeah, they haven't called anyone up from the AHL yet because they have twelve forwards to skate with right now.
So they did make a minor move today phyllis in and maybe this is just a young player they like, maybe they need depth upfront, but they did bring in Sammy Walker from Minnesota in exchange for future considerations. What do you make of the minor move they executed earlier today.
I think it definitely is correlated to losing Logan Coolly and losing a forward. I think it might just be numbers wise, especially because he was assigned to the AHL. Josh Doan right now was recalled when Dylan Gunther went down. So the Tucson Roadrunners, who are Utah's HL affiliate, lost a ford in their own roster, and now that Coolie's out, you could expect them to call up another forward from the AHL. But you know, I think we sometimes forget that when they pull up a player, that team loses
a player. So in my mind, it could just be numbers wise safety for if they need to call someone like Kyler Yamamoto up or anyone else on that roster just to have a thirteenth forward in practice, or someone else gets hurt, that team is able to fill in as well. And I think for future considerations, you know you're not giving up much, so just another healthy, strong body. I don't imagine him coming into the Utah line up anytime soon, but good thing to have in your organization.
And he played at University of Minnesota, was in Minnesota for a bit in the AHL too, So yeah, I think it's a safe move that can probably only help the team in terms of depth moving forward.
You referenced now that John Marino is healthy and Cirgchev is back in the lineup, we're seeing those two skate together, and a lot of people are being curious and waiting for this opportunity. What are the early returns bell now that we have a little bit of a sample size with those two playing together.
They're both very complimentary of each other, which is funny. We've talked to both of them obviously about playing with each other. And Sergachev earlier in this year when there were a lot of injuries on the back end, he was skating with Michael Kestering and they split that up because they said they wanted Sergachev to have the puck more because he's obviously very puck moving defenceman leans into
his offensive game. But you know, John Marino is also known as that of bit, so I think maybe people were curious how they would balance that out. But I asked Marino about that and he said, I'm just giving the puck Sergatev if he's open, If we're in the ozone and he's left uncovered. That's the guy I'm going to.
He's too good to not make a play. So I think Marino is kind of holding on to that more defensive defenceman style when he's with Sergachev and they've complimented each other well, Sergchev talked about Marino's just smart without the puck as well, the way he positions his body and he takes off angles of others teams, let alone his shot, and he filled in on the second power play unit for a few games, and he's on the penalty kills, So I think you see that same versatility
and also just load management. He's playing twenty one twenty two plus minute tonight and it balances out for Sergachev and the rest of the d course. So I think when you see Shan Jersey eventually come out to all of these players will be able to play twenty to twenty three minutes and play to the best of their ability instead of being shutched out a little thin. And you see that with Marino coming in that's already getting a bit better.
Thirteen road wins. That's more than Vegas, that's more than the Kings. I mean, that's more than the Hurricanes and it's more than the Maple Leaves or the Senators. I mean, they're good on the road, bell but eight home wins is the least amount of home wins in the Western Conference. And you know what in the entire league, Now that I have the stats in front of me, what gives what?
I mean?
How can this team be really dynamite away from home and still not being able to figure it out here as the Delta Center.
It's really wild. And honestly, their road record more recently has not it hasn't been as good as it's been in the beginning of the season. So I think at this point it's honestly just an unfortunate coincidence. It feels like that this team is hitting a slump with injuries, with just the dog days of the season, and they happen to play a lot at home in January and
early February. Yeah, you feel awful and the fans and you feel bad for the fans, and the players always say that, you know, they want to win in front of this loyal fan base so badly, And originally they were saying, maybe we get too emotional on home ice. We're gripping our sticks too much because we want to win so badly that we're overthinking the game. But in my eyes, at this point in the season, you know, that's not an excuse anymore. Every single team plays forty
one games at home. Every single team wants to win in front of their fans, whether they're a new franchise or not. So I don't know if it's the nerves anymore. I doubt it is. I think it's just they're working through a tough part of the season when during the month that they had close to eleven home games and now they'll have three on the road before the Four Nations break and kind of get to hit a reset.
But yeah, it's not the record you would want to have when trying to win over a new community that's getting into hockey.
So, look, there are a lot of games left.
I've heard all the players say that during their media availability, and of course everyone says the right things, but you know, as the old saying goes, if you want to make the playoffs, it's getting late early. So fifty two games played for the hockey club, so we're looking at about thirty games left, and there is an eight point gap between the Utah Hockey Club and the Calgary Flames for
the second wildcard spot. Do you feel like we are starting to get to the point in the calendar where it's no longer like, well, we got to trust the process and do the right things, Like no, you've got to win hockey games. You have to get points if you want to be a playoff team. Is there maybe a little more urgency with the group from your experience that we've seen prior to this point the calendar.
Yeah, I definitely think there's urgency, But I also think there needs to be just a general reminder that this
team it's okay if it's not a playoff team. You know, I know it's a separate team in the Arizona Coyotes, But when you look at that overlap during the fourth year of a rebuild, and sometimes teams are two to three points at the end of that, they're a bubble team, and that's, you know, a step in the right direction, even though it's not as fun and you want to obviously make it to the first round, and especially in the inaugural season. I think that's why expectations have been
so high. But I think fans it's disappointing. Like I grew up a fan. You hate when your team misses the playoffs, but it doesn't mean that this season was a failure for Utah. I think if they went on a run, it's obviously possible. Eight points is four games, but then you have to rely on everyone else in the West to go on a losing streak, which doesn't
look like it will happen. So I definitely think the players, you know, we ask them about it basically every day and they say, we're fighting for our playoff lives right now. They're very much aware of it. It's not like they're throwing it and giving up that they're pushing. They want to do it. But the way the numbers look and with the injuries they're dealing with, I think externally, maybe prepare for an early summer and that's okay, you know, I think that was kind of the expectation coming in,
and then they have kept themselves in the mix. So either way, I think the team is kind of where they expected it to be, and that might be outside the playoff picture.
And if you are correct, and the injuries certainly have to be brought into play here and it is in early summer, Let's just have a little fun here and talk about potentially what this team is lacking with holes to take that proverbial next step, maybe a year ago or a year from now, I should say, and Bill Armstrong talks often about this process where they're at with clean books and draft capital.
It's very Utah jazz is quite.
Frankly, but what should the point of emphasis be if they want to continue this upward growth or do you think they just continue to kind of grow in house with the pieces they already have.
Well, I think first before you look outside who to bring in. They have some expiring contracts. You know, we talked about Alex Kerfoot, Jack McBain, Dukestad, Logan Cooley can be up for an extension, and Carel Vimelka is going to be an unrestricted free agent. So those are pretty core pieces of that team that I think Bill Armstrong is going to have to make a decision if they're
going to be part of the future. I imagine they hand Coolly a blank check and say not actually, but I mean he's going to be a star on this team for many years to come. I imagine the same conversation is with Jack McBain. That's someone that they don't want to lose. He's shown he can play the wing center, you know, another guy that kind of does it all with his physicality too. And then I think it's really interesting looking at cREL Vimelka, even with the trade deadline
coming up. You know, Utah has two starting goaltenders who have proven they can be great goalies in this league, and a lot of teams that are pushing to make a long run in the playoffs. They have everything but
steady goaltending. So it'll you know, do they deal with Milka at the trade deadline to get a return in case they don't sign him this summer and he's just because he's unrestricted, or do they decide to extend him and really roll with him as the starter and figure out what to do with Connor Ingram in the future.
So they obviously haven't talked about that publicly, but I think, yeah, before they go out to try to fill holes, they need to decide what holes are going to be left with these guys who could sign different contracts this summer.
Tyler Tucker hate Utah. What's the deal?
It seems like he's fighting everybody every time these two teams play.
Yeah, yeah, it's funny and yeah, he scored last game too, not two games ago. I guess, yeah, it's fought Liam O'Brien and Jack McBain. I don't know what it is, but I guess he likes the Delta center.
Is uh is is our guy, spicy tuna, the tough guy. Is he the enforcer? Like when when we need somebody to fight? Does he established himself as this guy?
Yeah? And I think he knows that he knows his role pretty well, and he says when he's put in the lineup, he's gonna go out there, he's going to be physical. I think he's had almost four fights this season, so when he's in the lineup, you know that he's looking to kind of stir the pot and choose his spots to switch the momentum. But Jack McBain two, Obviously he's a little bit more talented, little bit more skilled
than Lime O'Brien. But he fought last game and I wouldn't call him an enforcer, but he's definitely one of those guys that has an edge and holds the other team accountable when they're on that ice. So yeah, those are two guys that I think Utah's happy to have and kind of the other team thinks twice when they see them coming over the bench.
I feel like maybe the Blues are kind of emerging as this random rival because of the physical nature. I mean, you and I talked about to start the year, who who's.
The rival going to be?
I mean, fans want to know that, and the proximity would indicate maybe it's the Avs. Are we getting closer and closer because rivalries oftentimes, yes, geographical proximity helps, but they're created over time, playing close, physical games, most often in the playoffs, as you know. But are we getting closer to understand who the hockey club's rival is?
It seems like Saint Louis could be one of those, especially, I mean it's divisionals, so they'll play them one more time. I think they close out the regular season in Saint Louis. Actually, so they played them four times in a regular season, So I think that automatically lends to more tensions because you've played them so many times, and you know those those two fights and the close games, and they're both they're one point away from each other in the standings.
But like you said, playoffs, I think there's not a real rival until Utah makes it to the first round. I think the first team they face in the playoffs will be the real rivalry that these fans are like, I hate that team because, yeah, it sucks losing a regular season game that was close, but you don't learn real NHL heartbreak until you see your team lose a Game seven or something like that. So yeah, I think Saint Louis games are fun to get up for, and
really anyone in the Central Division. But my view is there for first postseason matchup will be the official first rival in Utah Hockey Club history.
All right, Bell, before I say you lose for a couple of minutes we have left.
Let's move over to the topic that everybody really wants to talk about as a parta to this Utah Hockey Club, and that is names and logos and where we're at Before we get to the logos that have been leaked. I have not been able to visit with you since the news came down that they went through the process to try to make the Utah Yeti's name or reality.
So now we know that was the preferred name.
There are a lot of rumors even some players said that was their understanding.
So what's your understanding.
Of just kind of that process, how it went down, and any inside as to how disappointed they are down there that their preferred name is not going to be a reality.
Yeah, So in terms of the process, I think everyone saw the articles come out a few weeks ago when the Trademark Office rejected Utah Hockey Club's application trademark application for Yeti's because of likelihood of confusion with the Yeti Coolers company. So then people are asking what are they going to do now, And so that entertainment group actually came out and said, listen, we knew this was going
to happen far before we actually got rejected. We've been in conversations with the Yeddi Coolers for months before January
trying to strike a coexistence deal. So basically that means even if they got rejected by the Trademark Office, if Yeti Coolers agreed to share the trademark and both be able to use it in the commercial market but for different products, and they agree within the two companies that a consumer going into the store could tell the difference between Utah Yeti's and Yeti Coolers, they could go to the Trademark office tell them that and it would go through,
but YETI coolers denied that their leadership did not want to enter a coexistence agreement. So this entertainment group made the decision to just drop it, drop the name completely, And I mean, I'm sure internally there was some disappointment up with that, but I think it allowed them to lean more into including the fans. As we know, they've done another round of voting between Utah Hockey Club, Utah MS, Utah Outlaws formerly Utah Lossatch, and it seems like this
could be the final iteration. Fans are voting all week at the Delta Center. So yeah, I mean, I think a lot of fans were tied to the YETI name. I'm sure the organization was in some respect, but i think people are excited about the new options and I'm just excited to have a say in what the team ends up being.
Do you have any insight as to what led them to removing Utah Wassatch and putting in the Utah Laws.
I mean, outside of the fact.
It was a horrible idea at the you know, the first place, But.
Do you know how they went about the process and making that decision.
Yeah, it was just feedback from the fans. I mean, I think you saw on social media and conversations at the arena just no one liked it. Everyone was very confused if it was just the concept of a mountain range that was going to be their mascot. I think people were also confused with the logo, how it looked like a Yetti and it seemed like kind of recycled of the Yetti plan with a name that didn't really
match it. So they just listened to what the fans were saying, and Wassatch was never in the top six from the last survey, but Outlaws was, so they stuck to meet the fan opinion and they switched it out less than twenty four hours later, and fans were able to vote on a clean slate so they could go back and cast their vote for Outlaws if they couldn't the first. So yeah, it was really just listening to the fans and adjusting from there.
All right, before I said you loose, what is your as far as the feedback you receive online and conversations you have with people.
Ultimately, what do you think this team name will be?
From talking to people at Delta Center, it seems like most people like Mammoth but I will say there is a big group of Outlaw supporters too that feels like it might be creeping in. So I think, without a doubt it's a tie between those two. I think a lot of people are leaning away from Utah Hockey Club, but from our polling on just Twitter and talking to people, it seems like Mammos is ahead, but not by a lot. A lot of people like Outlaws as well.
All right, Bell, where can people go find your work? Can I see that you guys are doing a hockey pod now over the trip.
Yes, you have a hockey podcast that comes out every Tuesday. It's called Inside the Club, So it'll drop tomorrow with a special player guest. You can find me a Salt Lake Tribune website and then on Twitter and X I'm Belfraser one. I have all team updates and stuff are throughout the day.
Keep up the great work, Bell, appreciate the time. Okay, I have a great week.
Thank you you too.
All right.
Belle Fraser covers the Utckey Club for the Salt Lake Tribune. As she referenced on Twitter at Belle Fraser one is where you find her, all right, So, she said, there is a group of people making a push for the utile laws and for our listeners. If you missed it, we did a complete, comprehensive twenty five minute history lesson Porter is related to Jesse James, Right, is that what it is?
Billy Billy the Kid?
Oh, Butch Casside, the most famous utile law there you go, and the Sundance.
Kid, Harvey Longabah Yeah.
And the Wild what they call the Gang, the Wild The Gang is the Wild Bunch, the Wild Bunch.
Yes, sounds like a very uh wild bunch.
It does. But I think they could have done better than that if they put a little.
More thought in, Like it's it's not that creative.
No, Yeah, Like I'm Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid. Hey, what are we going to call the gang? I don't know, wild bunch? I mean they should have put it to a fan vote back then.
They should have. They should have. Yeah, you're a thinker.
I am a think I'm an idea man, and and my idea of keeping this team name the Utah Hockey Club, which is my preferred name. It has been the entire time. It feels like, truly I'm on an island.
I haven't seen many I haven't seen many people since it got narrowed down to three that agree with you. I've seen a few, like fans on on social media that that that enjoy it or that have grown attached to it. Which, hey, if you have a team named for a year or so, fans are going to grow attached to it. They're gonna buy those sweaters, They're gonna buy those shirts, and there's gonna be there's gonna be
something that attaches them to that. But yeah, I think the majority of folks have landed on one of the two mascots rather than the Utah Hockey Club.
But we're gonna see, man.
I I've I've been vocal about how I haven't really liked the way they've approached the process. But this fite that I've mentioned it, I think they've landed on three options that are pretty good and have a good landing spot in front of them.
I do have to enter something into uh, you know, into the into this scenario here. I have to offer something in this scenario to wonder. Let me ask you, first, how did how did your was it your third cousin Butch Sundance and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance it was at your third cousin.
Butch is my third cousin.
So how did how did Butch meet his demise? How did it all end for him?
That's actually an interesting question because there's there's there's some gray area there as as you will learn in the uh The Life of Butch Cassidy, he was allegedly done down in South America as he was on the run, right really, but there is i would say, unconfirmed reports that we could get into that he lived longer than that and and was that was kind of a setup if that makes sense.
Well, here's the reason I bring it up.
So he but he was never caught Eve was never caught by the police or right.
No, he was.
And that's the other thing. He was down in South America when he was allegedly killed. So there's not an actual burial, it's like a it's like an unofficial burial, which which makes those.
Rumors kind of even more so interesting.
Well, on this show, we pushed for the mascot to be a Butch Cassidy like character. There we go, right, But the only issue is the very definition of an outlaw is a person who has broken the law, especially one who remains out large or as a fugitive.
That's fair.
But if he was never caught, is he an outlaw? He was an outlaw, but by the dictionary definition, once you're caught, you're no longer an outlaw.
So he, I'll have to I disagree with the that that.
You disagree with the dictionary.
Yeah, I mean he so he was actually incarcerated before he became an outlaw. Okay, so on its face, I don't really necessarily agree with that, But no, he was not caught.
In the end, he was murdered.
So, like the bowl, is no longer a fugitive. He got caught.
According to the Webster Dictionary definition of an outlaw, this is somebody who's broken the law and remains at large.
While they're at large, that's when they're the outlaw. Okay, okay, that's fair.
All right, Well, I guess we'll see.
Tomorrow is your last chance to vote for the Utahey club team name.