Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Clayton Keller reached 500 career points in Utah's win over Winnipeg.
- Keller, Utah's captain, achieved the milestone with a goal and an assist.
- Coach Tourigny praised Keller's leadership and growth beyond his on-ice achievements.
SALT LAKE CITY — It's been a big season for Utah Hockey Club forward Clayton Keller.
On top of all the other familiar storylines he shares with his teammates in Utah's inaugural season, he's also been named the team's captain, surpassed 50 assists in a season for the first time, and is on pace for a career year in points.
Add one more milestone to the list: reaching the 500-point plateau.
With 2 points — a goal and an assist — in Utah's 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, Keller's career point total now stands halfway to a thousand with 596 games under his belt.
With statistical milestones being a central talking point around the NHL — Washington's Alexander Ovechkin made headlines on Friday for tying Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record — you may think Keller had been keeping track of his own career statline.
Wrong.
"It's cool. I honestly had no idea coming into the game, so I was a bit surprised," Keller said. "Lots of hard work and sacrifice. So many people in my life sacrificed for me to get to this level, so I'm just super thankful for everything that they've done for me — my teammates and my coaches. There are so many people that have helped me get to where I am."
Keller hit the milestone by helping Utah convert two power-play opportunities against Winnipeg, the best team in the Western Conference. Point No. 499 came on a one-timer goal Keller scored off a dish by Barrett Hayton in the first period; No. 500 came from him returning the favor with a secondary assist to Hayton.
"Our power play produced, but more than that, they gave us momentum," head coach André Tourigny said. "They played, they attacked, they were under their toes. They played really solid. I think Keller's play, not just on the power play but five-on-five play, was rock solid. Captain showed up huge in a big game."
Tourigny knows Keller's game well, having been his coach since taking the reins in the team's Arizona days in 2021. A four-time All-Star — and arguably a one-time 4 Nations Face-off snub — Keller has seen his game evolve, along with his growing stat line. But there's more to his growth than just putting the puck in the net, Tourigny said of Keller.
"We've been through a lot. We started from the bottom, and we've improved, but where I'm most proud of him is as a human being," Tourigny said. "He's always been a good teammate, but now he's the captain and he's great.
"The way he can take the good and the bad and make the best out of it, learn from his mistakes, always a student. He's the kind of guy who will send me a text or an article or video from another sport or another team and always wants to learn. So he's becoming a great man."
With admission into Club 500, Keller became the fourth player from the 2016 draft class to reach that milestone, joining Toronto's Auston Matthews, Florida's Matthew Tkachuk and Detroit's Alex DeBrincat. Keller is also the fourth-youngest active American player to notch 500 points at 26 years and 250 days old.
There's plenty of time in his career for more.
"I still feel like I have a lot more to give, and I'm just getting started," Keller said.
