As mentioned, Kesselring took advantage of the chance to prove himself as a legitimate top-four defenseman; Jaxson Stauber showed that he can play in the NHL; Olli Määttä earned a spot on Finland’s 4 Nations Face-Off team — a chance he may not have gotten if he’d stayed in Detroit.

The Utah Hockey Club has made an impact immediately in the NHL. In just their first season in the league, they've already developed a passionate group of fans and garnered support around the hockey community as they try to sneak into one of the Western Conference Wild Card spots.

Could Utah Hockey Club play a game outdoors at Rice Eccles Stadium? Owner Ryan Smith indicated it could be a possibility sometime in the future.