It takes years of dedication and sacrifice to not only play in the NHL, but to achieve any significant games played milestone. Utah Captain Clayton Keller will play his 700th game tonight against the Montréal Canadiens, which is another notable accomplishment in his career.
Keller (28 years, 99 days) is the third-youngest active American to reach this milestone as only Noah Hanifin (27 years, 305 days) and Patrick Kane (28 years, 48 days) have achieved this feat faster. Keller is also the 12th youngest active player to hit 700.
His commitment to his game on the ice, and preparation off it, allowed Keller to reach this milestone during his 10th full NHL season. When Keller suffered a broken femur on Mar. 30, 2022, he worked hard to get back to playing as soon as possible. In fact, six months later, Keller returned to game action and played all 82 games that season. His hard work behind the scenes is something that every teammate and coach has discussed when reflecting on Keller’s achievement.
“I like how professional he is,” head coach André Tourigny shared. “How much effort he puts off the ice, away from the rink. What people don’t see, how serious he is from his nutrition to his attention to detail, his lifestyle, everything. Credit to him, that’s why he’s a good captain.”
“He does a lot of his work in the dark,” Liam O’Brien said of Keller. “He’s a hard-working guy, and he’s dedicated his whole life to hockey. I think that’s where his leadership comes from. I think playing 700 games is a huge accolade, but I think he’s going to be a good player in this league for a long time, and I think he’s just starting to show us his best game. It’s just been a pleasure to play with him.”
Over his career, Keller has developed his leadership skills to become a strong voice in the locker room. Throughout his time playing for Tourigny, his head coach has seen his growth.
“The big thing is maturity for him,” Tourigny shared. “The last six years, he grew a lot. In a way it’s really impressive. Off the ice and on the ice and his maturity. The way he’s been able to grow and to address certain things, he had to grow like a man. It’s really impressive. And for the guys, especially for the guys who have been here for a long time, (Crouse, O’Brien, Hayton) and all those guys who saw Keller six years ago and to where he is now. We’re really proud of him.”
Keller leads by example and is able to encourage his teammates to be their best. When they need motivation, Keller pulls his team into the fight.
“He’s a guy that rows the boat for our team,” associate captain Lawson Crouse explained. “Demands a lot out of players but he’s also a supportive guy. When guys are down, he’s there to pick you up. I think the thing that makes him stand out the most is the way that he drives, demands the most, and holds everyone to a high standard.”
By playing in the NHL, and going through a rebuild, Keller has gained plenty of experience. Now he’s using what he’s learned to help his team push for a second-straight postseason berth.
“Going through the experience of the lows of where we’ve been, and where we are now, I think that drives a lot of us in this locker room,” Crouse shared. “When your captain’s gone through all those lows and now where we are as a team, he’s got a lot of advice and encouragement, and just very easy to follow.”
In order to lead by example on the ice, Keller has developed his game. He’s become a constant presence on the scoresheet, and he’s an elite playmaker. The numbers prove it. Keller has 617 career points (226 G, 391 A) through his first 699 games. His ability to evolve his game is something that impresses his teammates, and others around the league.
“It’s quite impressive honestly for a player that has had to evolve his game a lot as he’s come into the league,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “I remember playing against him, how well he has been able to find his style in today’s game, and how he can create, slow down, make plays. That longevity is something that every player strives for. Hopefully, there’s many more to come after this.”
The success Keller has had and continues to have is also a reminder to young players, especially Americans, that anyone can make it in the NHL with the right combination of drive, skill, and dedication. Keller, hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, helped put that area of the country on the map for elite hockey players.
“We see so many more guys coming from non-traditional markets, and how important that is, as you see amongst the league. It’s growing the game in so many places,” Schmidt shared. “You’re starting to see players from all over the place make it and make something of it. I think that’s really cool and gives the next generation of players a lot to look forward to and strive to and think that they can do it as well. I think that’s such a cool part of how our sport is growing.”
Going into tonight’s game, his teammates are aware of the milestone and ready to celebrate their captain’s hard work. It’s easy for this team to take a moment to recognize milestones like this due to the tight-knit brotherhood in the locker room.
“It means a lot,” O’Brien said of celebrating each other. “I think it goes to show how many good players we have in the room. I think you’re just always happy when a teammate has success or hits a big milestone, or does something special because you know it’s fun to be a part of that with them.”
