EDMONTON, ALBERTA, Canada – Utah Hockey Club will be without the services of captain and leading-scorer Clayton Keller, who is unavailable due to illness. Liam ‘Spicy Tuna’ O’Brien will dress in Keller’s place. This will be O’Brien’s first game since October 28.

Utah HC (16-14-6, 38 points) is in the Great White North to face the Edmonton Oilers (21-12-3, 45 points) at Rogers Place on Tuesday, December 31.

RELATED: Utah Hockey Club Vs. Edmonton Oilers Live Blog

Clayton Keller will not play tonight due to illness.#UtahHC

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 1, 2025

Keller has 13 goals and 24 assists in his first season with Utah Hockey Club.

Utah HC hopes to slow down Draisaitl, McDavid

The defending Western Conference champion Oilers enter the night in third place in the Pacific Division, trailing the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights. Utah HC is fifth in the Central Division, five points behind the Dallas Stars.

The Hat Trick: Maturing Utah HC Drops Fourth Straight Game In Seattle

INJURY UPDATE

– Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo (lower-body) has been placed on Injured Reserve retroactive to 12/10

– Goaltender Connor Ingram has been assigned to the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) on a Conditioning Loan

— Utah Hockey Club PR (@UtahHC_PR) December 31, 2024

11th-year center Leon Draisaitl leads the NHL with 26 goals and is second in the league with 55 points. Fellow center Connor McDavid’s 52 points (15 goals, 37 assists) is fifth in the league. McDavid comes into the game on an 11-game point streak and four-game assist streak.

Edmonton averages 3.25 goals per game, tenth-best in the league. Utah Hockey Club has been inconsistent offensively, averaging

Follow Utah Hockey Club With KSL Sports

Utah Hockey Club games can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on the KSL Sports app or 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule. 

Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. Listen to Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.

Find KSLSports.com coverage of the Utah Hockey Club here.

Are you on Threads yet? Let’s connect; give us a follow @kslsports.

Take us with you wherever you go.

Download the new & improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. You can stream live radio and video and stay updated on all your favorite teams.

Brian Preece is a KSLsports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball coverage here.

Follow @bpreece24