SALT LAKE CITY – There are few words to accurately describe what Utah Mammoth Captain Clayton Keller has been through the past two weeks and they’re even less to portray how well he’s handled them.
After unexpectedly losing his father, Bryan, on Thanksgiving, Keller has demonstrated unimaginable strength and resilience as he’s pushed through pain, expressed love towards his teammates and turned outward with a smile on his face.
Utah Mammoth Captain Clayton Keller has cared for his teammates amidst tragedy
Despite having every reason to be upset, No. 9 has yet to mutter a complaint through this entire experience.
Rather, he has spoken of love, appreciation, service and gratitude as he’s pressed on seemingly unfazed.
“The support has been amazing from everyone, honestly,” Keller told KSL Sports in response to fans writing letters of support to his family.
“I did see that [the letters]. Super cool moment. I sent it to my mom and brother. They were so excited. So cool for them to do that.”
Keller’s response to the fan letters:
“The support has been amazing from everyone, honestly.”
“I did see that. Super cool moment. I sent it to my mom and brother. They were so excited. So cool for them to do that.” https://t.co/l08DAYtAp8 pic.twitter.com/CvZomOSOyt
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 9, 2025
Less than 24 hours after losing his dad, Keller was back on the ice with his teammates as he laced up his skates in Dallas and registered 18 minutes.
Of course, while it was more therapeutic for him to be with the boys and play the game he loves instead of hyper focusing on the loss of his father, nobody would’ve blamed him for stepping away.
If you ask any of his teammates, they still cannot fathom how he was able to push through.
“[It shows] just how strong mentally he is,” Liam O’Brien told KSL Sports. “How much he means to this team and how much we need him as well. Just shows a lot of character and how much of a leader he really is. I’m proud of him.”
“He showed tremendous strength,” Barrett Hayton added. “Him being the person, leader, competitor that he is, wanting to keep playing, stay with the group, to keep driving this team, it just says so much about the person that he is.”
Fast forward to the next day and Utah was on the second of a back-to-back in Keller’s hometown of St. Louis.
The same rink where he spent countless hours with his dad and grandfather as he fell in love with hockey.
Regardless, he yet again took the ice, played through the pain and volunteered to address the media after a deflating shutout loss.
Through visible and unimaginable emotion with tears streaming down his face, Keller still expressed love and appreciation for those around him.
“Teammates, coaching staff, management have been unbelievable toward me and my family. Big thanks to the Blues for everything they did tonight. They didn’t have to do that. Yeah, lots of memories at this rink. Growing up, coming to games here, sitting on my dad’s lap, my grandpa’s lap, just admiring those players…wanting to be out there,” Keller explained as he took several deep breaths to process his emotions.
“It was definitely a tough couple of days, but I couldn’t have done it without my family, my teammates, they had my back, always, and I care for them more than anything.”
POSTGAME
“First off, teammates, coaching staff, management, have been unbelievable towards me, my family. Big thanks to the Blues for everything they did tonight. They didn’t have to do that. Lots of memories at this rink. Growing up, coming to games here, sitting on my dad’s… pic.twitter.com/mXZbW88M80
— Utah Mammoth PR (@UtahMammoth_PR) November 30, 2025
Aside from his emotional interview, the most powerful moment of service and love took place in that same game against St. Louis.
Despite the heavy burden of playing in his hometown for the first time without his father, Keller looked outward as he put his arm around an injured Logan Cooley, lifted him to his feet and carried him to the bench.
On a night where Keller undoubtedly deserved to be the one carried, he chose to lift others.
“I think that game at home, that’s such an emotional game. I can’t even imagine,” O’Brien told KSL Sports. “Being able to lace them up and go play in front of your family, friends and people who would’ve known his dad, that would’ve been unbelievably tough.”
“We know that we can rely on each other in tough times. I’m glad that we have that from him. I know that I can rely on him, and I know that he knows he can rely on me and us in this room…this is a really tough time in his life and he’s handling it really, really well. Like a true leader would.”
Clayton Keller’s service and leadership have extended beyond the ice
In addition to serving his loved ones and teammates, Keller also shifted his focus towards the community with a desire to give back.
As part of SEG’s pay it forward initiative, Utah’s captain called upon his teammates to donate their own time and money to provide Christmas gifts for children from a local Boys & Girls club.
Aside from the charitable actions towards those less fortunate, the most notable detail from that event were all the smiles, specifically from the captain.
As he worked one-on-one with a young man who wandered all over the store and continuously swapped out items, Keller pushed his cart with a grin throughout the entire process as he patiently made sure the young man got exactly what he wanted.
Keller and the Mammoth giving back by providing Christmas for kids from the Boys & Girls Club.
Here’s the first purchase of the day 📻
The boys were loving it. pic.twitter.com/8KXB4QWHmq
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 9, 2025
“It’s a huge part of our team and who we want to be…it’s something I would’ve liked to do to give back [in] a way that I haven’t before,” Keller said.
“Everyone wanted to participate…this is something we’ll do every year now.”
Clayton Keller on giving back to the community:
“It’s a huge part of our team and who we want to be…it’s something I would’ve liked to do to give back [in] a way that I haven’t before.”
“Everyone wanted to participate…this is something we’ll do every year now.” pic.twitter.com/xw7GLTT2HK
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) December 10, 2025
Clayton Keller embodies everything that a leader should be
Despite every reason to look inward or step away, Keller has pressed forward with undeniable strength as he’s chosen to lead and serve.
Not just as someone who wears a ‘C’ on their sweater in the NHL, but as a human being.
Displaying actions of love and charity as he’s been far more concerned about others hardships than his own.
“That’s just Kells. He cares so much about this team and so much about everybody on this team,” O’Brien said.
“Ya know, he’s a superstar in this league. He really is. But there’s no ego there. He treats everybody the same and that’s just the type of person he is. We’re really lucky to have that type of person as our captain.”
As Keller noted himself during another recent charity event at Primary Children’s Hospital, hockey players are simply a different breed.
“What [patients] are going through is more important than anything we’re going through,” Keller said. “Any way we can give back, meet new faces, try to put a smile on their face, is the best feeling. That’s why we all love this event.”
“Hockey guys are a special breed. We care about the community.”
Hockey players are the kinds of heroes we need in this world.
People who can inspire young men and women to do good both on and off the ice.
Individuals whose posters can proudly be displayed on bedroom walls as motivation to be like them one day.
To echo the words of O’Brien, Utah is remarkably lucky to have Keller as their captain.
Not just from a team standpoint, but as a community as he’s been an example of resilience, perseverance, service, charity, love and strength.
What’s next for the Utah Mammoth?
The Utah Mammoth will conclude their three-game home stand against the Seattle Kraken on Friday night at 7 p.m. MT.
The game will be available on Mammoth+.
All Mammoth games will also be broadcast live on the KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM).
Cole Bagley is the Utah Mammoth insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. You can hear Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
Take us with you, wherever you go.