Utah Hockey Club takes major step towards establishing permanent practice and training facility: Reports

NHL newcomers Utah Hockey Club and their ownership, Smith Entertainment Group, also known as SEG, are revealing their plan of action as the start of the NHL season approaches.

SEG recently purchased the 111-acre South Town Mall property in Sandy, Utah. The property will serve as a practice and training facility. The Utah Hockey Club aim to build two NHL-standard regulation ice surfaces and the team's official offices at the site.

As reported by ABC News, Jim Olson, an executive with SEG, stated,

“Today is a crucial step forward in expanding SEG’s real estate footprint and public benefit offerings for our fans and residents of Utah,”

The efforts taken by SEG to build a training facility and to help support youth and amateur hockey and recreation will help draw local support for the new team.

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Utah Hockey Club and their new affiliation with ECHL Team

On Wednesday, the Utah Hockey Club announced the signing of a one-year affiliation agreement with ECHL team the Allen Americans as per NHL.com. The Americans finished eighth in the Western Conference in the 2023-24 ECHL season and clinched a playoff spot.

John Ferguson, the Assistant GM of UHC and GM of Utah's American Hockey League affiliate team Tucson Roadrunners had this to share regarding the recent affiliation between the sides,

“The Americans are a first-class organization with a passionate fan base and a reputation of winning.”

The Allen Americans, founded in 2009, started their journey with the Central Hockey League and joined the ECHL in 2014. They won consecutive Championships in 2015 and 2016 and have only failed to make the playoffs once since joining the ECHL.

The Utah Hockey Club will utilize Allen to develop UHC players as the team prepares for the upcoming NHL season.