Clayton Keller Honors His Father in an Emotional Game
Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller showed incredible strength by playing in his hometown, St. Louis, just two days after the unexpected passing of his father, Bryan Keller, on Thanksgiving Day. The visibly emotional player participated in the match against the Blues, a game that was filled with emotion and tributes. Before the start of Saturday night’s match, the Blues paid a heartfelt tribute to Bryan Keller, 64, displaying a photo of him on the stadium screen and observing a minute of silence in his memory. The match ended in a 1-0 defeat for the Mammoth.Keller, who also played on Friday in Dallas, where he failed to score points in the 4-3 loss to the Stars, expressed his gratitude for the support received. In that game, he was recognized as the first star, a gesture that highlighted the union and camaraderie in the hockey world.For me and my family, thank you very much to the Blues for everything they did tonight. They didn’t have to do it.
Clayton Keller
The presence of Keller at the game in St. Louis, at the Enterprise Center, was especially significant, as he had the support of his family, including his mother and grandmother. The player shared memories of his childhood in that same stadium, where he used to attend games with his father and grandfather.There are incredible people in this sport. It comes from the right place, from the heart.
Andre Tourigny, coach of the Mammoth
Keller, 27, has played all ten seasons of his career with the Arizona-Utah franchise and was named captain before last season, when the team moved to Salt Lake City. Selected seventh overall in the 2016 draft and a four-time All-Star, he has been a consistent scorer, with 30 goals in each of the last three seasons, including career highs last season with 60 assists and 90 points. This season, he has 21 points, including eight goals. Keller also expressed his gratitude to the coaching staff and management for the unconditional support received.There are many memories in this stadium. I remember growing up and coming to the games here, sitting on my father’s lap and on my grandfather’s. I admired those players and wanted to be there.
Clayton Keller
