Feature Photo: Getty Images
Alexander Kerfoot is embracing his titles – one off the ice, the other on it.
There have been plenty of changes over the career of the Utah Hockey Club forward, who is approaching his 600th NHL regular-season contest.
As one of Utah’s four rotating alternate captains, Kerfoot is being counted on to deliver veteran leadership on a Western Conference club playing its inaugural season in Salt Lake City.
It’s a responsibility he wears with great pride, one he’ll continue to wear after signing a one-year contract extension earlier this month.
“I just want to be someone who goes out and plays hard every shift, to lead by example, and contribute to the team’s success,” Kerfoot told NHLPA.com.
“We have so many great leaders on the team. To be in that [leadership] position is something I am extremely grateful for. You want to be depended on to listen if the younger guys have questions and help them in any way you can.”
While a veteran on the ice, Kerfoot experienced a first last July when he and his wife, Marissa, welcomed a baby girl, Carrera. He has since been the beneficiary of helpful advice on first-time fatherhood and shared experiences, courtesy of his fellow teammates.
"On the being a father side of things, we both had kids at the exact same time so we weren’t so much giving each other advice - it’s more just bouncing milestones off each other," said Utah forward Liam O'Brien.
The 30-year-old Kerfoot, who has played in Colorado, Toronto and Arizona throughout his NHL career, is enjoying his first-time parent status.
"Having a daughter has been amazing. You get excited knowing you are going to be a parent, but when the actual moment comes, it is the greatest feeling in the world.
“We couldn't be any more excited. Every day is something new. You can't wait to get home and just enjoy that family time together.”
Kerfoot is also feeling right at home in his veteran role with Utah, where he’s committed to making a difference in the community. Most recently, Kerfoot has been donating his game tickets to female youth hockey programs across the state.
“We just wanted to do something to allow girls to have the opportunity to come see this. We know that the sport of hockey is growing for females in general,” Kerfoot told the Salt Lake Tribune of his and Marissa’s efforts. “There’s a lot of youth hockey initiatives that lean towards boys so we just wanted to make an effort to allow girls hockey to have the same opportunity that the boys have. It’s been great seeing them come out.”
“Any time any of us have the opportunity to do something in the community we don’t take it for granted. We’re in very fortunate positions and it’s the least we can do to give back a little bit and hopefully allow them to find some excitement for the game and maybe fall in love with it like we did.”
Those within the Utah hockey community are thankful for Kerfoot's support.
“I think Alex Kerfoot is a shining example of what a player that cares about their community is. He has shown from day one how much he cares. These girls won’t forget it. They won’t forget that they have support. They won’t forget that they’re cared about," Kristi Davis, a mental performance coach for the Ogden Junior Mustangs, told the Salt Lake Tribune.
Whether it’s motivational words or through his lead-by-example community efforts or defensive work, Kerfoot, who played his first NHL game on Oct. 5, 2017, with the Colorado Avalanche, has leaned on the knowledge he has acquired throughout his eight-year NHL tenure to craft his leadership style.
"You just naturally learn more things about what it takes to be a good leader over the years,” said the 150th overall pick of the New Jersey Devils in the 2012 NHL Draft.
“I think you take what you have learned but also stay true to yourself,” continued Kerfoot, who graduated from Harvard University in 2017 with a major in economics and was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
O’Brien has high praise for Kerfoot’s leadership values.
"Kerfy is a very intelligent guy, and leads through example in terms of being a good pro and doing the right things day-to-day. He is also a vocal leader in our room."
That formula has continued to pay dividends for Kerfoot who is part of a Utah team looking to make inroads in a tough Western Conference.
“It's been lots of fun, one of those things where any inaugural season is going to be extra special. There is a nice buzz in the city – you definitely feel it.
“Walking around a town, you can feel the energy and the way fans have embraced the team. When you have that, it motivates you even more.”
Currently, Utah remains only a few points out of a wild card position.
“The goal is to continue going as a group and take steps in the right direction,” said Kerfoot. “We want to keep pushing the pace. Being in Utah, it feels as though we have turned the page and turned the corner, in terms of being a team that is getting better and better and committed to bringing out the best in each other.
“We have a bunch of talented young players who are helping push the team forward and veteran guys who have that experience of knowing what it takes to achieve the team goals.”
Living and playing in Salt Lake City, has been an ideal environment for Kerfoot and his teammates.
“Everyone here is loving the city, the views, the entire vibe.”
Giving the team’s fan base something to cheer about is top of mind for the Utah players.
"Every day, we are focusing on what we need to do over the 82 games to put us in the best position to be successful.”
