Brogan Houston never made it to the NHL as a player, but he still found a way to carve out a career in professional hockey.
As a staff writer for Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Houston covers the Utah Hockey Club, the NHL’s newest franchise, chronicling its journey from the ground up.
It’s a role that requires long hours, constant attention, and a passion for the game. And for Houston, it’s a dream come true.Growing up in Vernon, British Columbia, hockey was always the goal. Like many Canadian kids, Houston dreamed of lacing up his skates in an NHL arena. But by the time he was 15 and still playing house league, reality set in.
“I was probably realizing that I wasn’t going to make the NHL,” said Houston. “So I had to find a hockey-adjacent job.”
Fortunately, he had another skill in his back pocket: writing.
From an early age, Houston excelled in English classes, earning top marks on essays while struggling in math. He knew that whatever he did in life would involve words, not numbers.
It wasn’t until his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pocatello, Idaho, that he began considering sports journalism as a viable career.
Houston had originally been on track for a career in marketing, taking business courses at Okanagan College back in Canada. But during his mission, he was given time to research college programs, eventually stumbling upon BYU’s sports journalism program.
Though his grades weren’t quite enough to get into BYU in Provo, BYU–Idaho offered a similar path. Looking back, Houston says it was the best decision he could have made.
As graduation approached, Houston kept a close eye on the NHL’s rumored expansion into Utah. When it became clear the state was getting a team, he wasted no time sending out emails to Salt Lake City news outlets, pitching himself as a hockey reporter.
Deseret News took him on as an intern, giving him the crucial experience needed to break into the industry.Six months later, when his internship ended, the publication offered him a full-time staff writer position.
Houston’s job takes him to practices, games and press conferences, gathering quotes and insights to shape his stories. His nights are often spent in the press box, writing until midnight. It’s a challenge, but one he wouldn’t trade for anything.
“The coolest thing is just being a part of this,” Houston said. “My name is kind of synonymous with the Utah Hockey Club now. When people think of Brogan Houston, they think of Utah hockey.”
His work has given him access to some of the biggest names in the sport. He’s interviewed icons like Sidney Crosby, chatted with childhood heroes like Daniel Sedin
and watched elite scorers like Mika Zibanejad casually goof around tossing a football at practice. Seeing legends up close is still surreal to him.
“Every now and then, I just have those moments of, ‘Holy cow, I just met Sidney Crosby,’” Houston said.
He has also had the chance to travel, covering the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural road trip to New York and New Jersey, as well as a trip to Colorado. As interest in the team grows, he hopes to hit the road even more.
Looking ahead, Houston envisions a long-term future with the franchise.“I really like the idea of being with a franchise from day one,” Houston said. “There’s a reporter in Columbus, Aaron Portzline, who’s covered the Blue Jackets since their first game. I’d love to be that guy for Utah.”
The job comes with sacrifices. Breaking news can disrupt personal or family time, and game nights mean late hours. But the flexibility of his role allows him to make up for it in other ways.
When Houston’s parents visited during the NHL’s Four Nations Faceoff break, he shifted his schedule to spend time with them during the day and work at night.
Ultimately, Houston has found the perfect balance: a job that keeps him on his toes, a career tied to the sport he loves and a future filled with endless possibilities.
“For as beneficial as the flexibility is, there’s always that other side,” Houston said. “But I wouldn’t trade it. This is exactly where I want to be.”