The Jazz Storm is Coming: Utah’s Surging Momentum Poses a Significant Threat to the Canucks Playoff Aspiration

Nobody in hockey really pays much attention to the Utah Hockey Club. But the Vancouver Canucks and their fans ought to. Because when all is said and done this season, it may very well be the first-year enterprise that represents the greatest challenge to the Canucks’ playoff aspirations.

The Canucks are three points ahead of Utah with a game in hand, so perhaps UHC isn’t a clear and present danger. In fact, as things stand right now, both Calgary and St. Louis are situated between Vancouver and Utah in the Western Conference standings. But as the Canucks head east and embark on a challenging five-game road trip, Utah is about to start a seven-game homestand and play 11 of its next 14 on home ice. That’s the kind of thing that happens when you’ve played the fewest home games in the NHL. It’s going to be interesting to compare the teams and where they sit by month’s end.

But really none of this has to do with where the teams are positioned at any point in January. It’s far more about what’s to come. And while the Canucks try with all their might to get their injured star players back, get their house in order, and get things moving in the right direction, Utah has to be looking at Vancouver as a vulnerable target.

Not only did the Utahns rally from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Canucks in overtime in their lone meeting of the season so far on December 18th to grab two points in the standings when it looked like it may get none. The teams play twice more after the 4-Nations Face Off, and on both occasions, the games will be the second of back-to-backs for the Canucks. If you haven’t noticed, the Canucks are 0-4 in such situations so far this season, and they simply can’t afford to roll over just because they’re presented with a challenging schedule.

Now, the Canucks are helped by the fact that Utah plays in Los Angeles while Vancouver is in Vegas on February 22nd to start up after next month’s break. So it’ll be back-to-back for both clubs with a little bit of travel for each.

On March 16th, however, Utah will be rested while the Canucks are at home to Chicago the night before.

But all of that is part of the small picture. The broader view is that if the Utah Hockey Club can remain within striking distance of a playoff spot by the March 7th trade deadline, look out. There likely won’t be a more motivated team in the league to make the postseason, and there may not be a team with the enviable combination of cap space and tradable assets to reshape the wild card race.

After watching what Vegas and Seattle did in their infancies, you have to know Utah’s billionaire owner Ryan Smith would love nothing more than to bring playoff hockey to Salt Lake City in his team’s first season after years of drifting in the Arizona desert.

According to PuckPedia, Utah will have in the neighbourhood of $26M in available cap space at the deadline. The club also has each of its own first, second and third round selections in this year’s draft, a first, three seconds and two thirds in 2026, and a first, second and third in 2027. In other words, this is a team loaded with trade capital.

Utah could easily take on a high-priced rental or two to bolster its lineup, but it could also look to add players with term to help in both the short and long run.

Imagine surrounding 26-year-old Clayton Keller, 21-year-old Dylan Guenther and 20-year-old Logan Cooley with a couple of seasoned veterans with playoff experience. What if Utah decides to go big game hunting to bring in a couple of hired guns for the stretch run?

UHC is already a top 10 team in the league by 5-on-5 puck possession metrics and have a top 5 goalie in the league this season by goals saved above expected and top 10 by save percentage in Karel Vajmelka. There are some solid pieces in place.

Add to all of that, according to tankathon.com, the Canucks have the second most difficult schedule remaining in the National Hockey League behind only Detroit, while Utah ranks 22nd on the list.

With their recent slide (one win in four since Christmas and just four wins in their last 13 overall), the Canucks have lost any margin for error in the push for the playoffs. Forget looking ahead of them in the Pacific Division; this team has to be fully mindful of the objects in the rearview mirror that are closer than they appear.

And maybe no team has its sights set on the Canucks more than the upstarts from Utah. They want Vancouver’s spot above the playoff bar and they’re positioned pretty well to take a run at it over the balance of the schedule.