Clayton Keller fights tears in post-game interview after the sudden passing of his father
Photo credit: KSL Sports
Utah Mammoth forward Clayton Keller was fighting back tears in his first post-game interview following the unexpected and tragic passing of his father.
Clayton Keller, captain of the Utah Mammoth, experienced a personal tragedy when he found out his father Bryan unexpectedly passed away
But Keller decided to play in Utah's next game against the Dallas Stars, and in a kind gesture, the Stars named Keller the first star of the game even though they picked up the victory over the Mammoth.
He was also in the lineup for the Mammoth during their 1-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues, and after the game, he was fighting back tears in his postgame interview while he thanked his teammates as well as the Blues.
First off, teammates, coaching staff, management, have been unbelievable towards me, my family. Big thanks to the Blues for everything they did tonight. They didn't have to do that. Lots of memories at this rink. Growing up, coming to games here, sitting on my dad's lap, my grandpa's lap. Just admiring those players and wanting to be out there. It was definitely a tough couple of days, but I couldn't have done it without my family, my teammates. They had my back always. I care for them more than anything. - Clayton Keller
Keller is a natural leader for the Mammoth, and they recognized his leadership abilities when they decided to name him captain of the franchise before the start of last season, which was their first in Salt Lake City after moving from Arizona.
Clayton Keller Played As A Tribute To His Father And For His Teammates
Mammoth head coach Andre Tourigny talked about the strength showed by Keller in suiting up for the rest of his teammates despite such difficult circumstances.
He loves his teammates, and his teammates love him so much. He drives our passion and our competitiveness every night. He's the kind of guy that wants to be better every night. We cannot have a better example as a captain.
So far this year, Keller has 21 points (8G, 13A) in 26 games played. He was taken with the seventh overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the franchise when it was known as the Arizona Coyotes, meaning he's played his entire NHL career in the same organization to date.
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