Insights from the second day of the Utah Hockey Club training camp

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Hockey Club’s first training camp has now officially begun, offering a first look at the team in its final preparations for the 2024-25 season.

Here are the immediate takeaways from the second day of camp.

Related: Instant Takeaways from Utah Hockey Club Training Camp: Day One

Cole Beaudoin continues to impress at Utah Hockey Club's first training camp

After being selected number 24 in the 2024 NHL Draft, Cole Beaudoin is now participating in his first official NHL training camp with Utah. After two days, this kid is proving why the club took him back then.

Cole Beaudoin has been very, very impressive at the beginning of training camp. He's not afraid, he works hard, he stands tall, he fights and he fits in perfectly with training.

I don't expect any of the young talents to make the team this year, but he certainly shows that he deserves it when they call him up…

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) 20 September 2024

To be clear, the likelihood of Beaudoin playing for Utah this season is still close to zero percent given the depth of the roster. But in these first few practices, he's showing that he belongs and that his debut could come sooner than expected.

During both training sessions, Beaudoin was fearless, combative, confident and fought really hard no matter who the opponent was. He also looks like he just belongs there, sticking to his tasks, showing off his skills and never really looking out of place.

In other news, Cole Beaudoin caught not only my attention today, but also that of the coaching staff, when Coach Bear announced that he has earned the right to remain with Group A instead of moving to Group B as originally planned. He looks great.#UtahHockeyClub #NHL pic.twitter.com/Q9oJ4XDf09

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) 20 September 2024

“I'm confident that I can go out there and use my skills, my game, my shooting and all that to my advantage. I feel pretty comfortable and comfortable with the guys. It's only been two days, but I'm confident out there,” Beaudoin told KSL Sports.

Again, it will likely be some time before he laces up his skates for an NHL game, but it could happen sooner than some expected.

To see Clayton Keller’s creativity and offensive skills to their full extent

As fans of the Utah Hockey Club will soon find out, forward Clayton Keller is the face of this franchise and the best player on the roster. Last season, he was named to the All-Star game for the fourth time and finished the year with a team-best 33 goals and 43 assists. At Friday's practice, he showed how he was able to accomplish all of that.

Related: Meet the Utah Hockey Club: Who is Clayton Keller?

As the team participated in a series of shooting and attacking drills, Keller was consistently dangerous throughout the ice session. Whether he was shooting, connecting with a teammate, barricading himself near the boards or simply finding open space, it's obvious why he can play at such a high level.

One of Clayton Keller's unique qualities is his willingness to share the puck. He received the puck near the post and instead of picking it up himself, he went around Ingram and passed to Hayton, who scored completely unmarked on a one-timer.

He is selfless and VERY good.#UtahHockeyClub

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) 20 September 2024

If you just sit back and watch his movements, you can see that he is always trying to put himself and others in scoring opportunities. On one particular play, Keller received the puck from behind the net right in front of Connor Ingram's doorstep. Instead of shooting right away or trying to beat him one-on-one, Keller moved around the crease and passed to a completely free Barrett Hayton, who sunk the ball. He also wasn't afraid to battle near the boards and fought hard to win the puck several times.

Keller and Günther fight hard ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/rrpruNQOGK

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) 20 September 2024

In addition, Keller was always looking for open spaces to become dangerous, as he was constantly turning his head and you could see exactly what he was trying to achieve.

Keller will also lead the team offensively in the new season.

Utah Hockey Schedule

Fans can watch the Utah Hockey Club's first game on October 8th against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks. Click here for the full schedule.

Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Stay up to date here on X. You can hear Cole's analysis of the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.

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