SALT LAKE CITY – After hitting the reset button in 2020 and beginning a complete rebuild, the Utah Mammoth may be one of the most well-prepared teams for the future in the National Hockey League.

Acquiring a plethora of draft selections over the last five years and selecting inside the top 10 a number of times, the Mammoth possess a deep pool of talented young prospects.

Now stepping into year five of the rebuild, some of those former first-round selections are expected to see minutes in 2025 which begs some important questions.

Which of those young players are ready and what does the timeline look like for the rest?

Let’s take a look at the most likely scenarios for some of the top prospects.

Utah Mammoth prospects who still need more time to develop

Michael Hrabal | Goaltender | 20-years-old | 6’7″ | 216 pounds

Beginning with 2023 second-round selection Michael Hrabal, goaltenders simply operate on a different timeline.

Rather than two or three years of development, goalies often require five or more seasons before they’re ready to play in the NHL.

While Hrabal will be returning to UMass this season, he’s expected to sign his first contract with Utah next summer.

“As a goalie I don’t think there’s a rush. I’m still young and playing less games, having more time to practice,” Hrabal said during development camp.

“I think I can still get stronger and improve overall on and off the ice. I think that will help my game a lot.”

Once in the fold, Hrabal will likely spend a few seasons in the AHL before he’s ready to see NHL minutes for the Mammoth.

However, on a more positive note, there’s a lot of belief in Hrabal to be the goalie of the future for Utah given his massive frame and impressive skillset between the pipes.

For now, back to the NCAA.

Max Psenicka | Defenseman | 18-years-old | 6’5″ | 185 pounds

Selected in the second round of the 2025 NHL draft, Psenicka may have been a steal for the Mammoth.

In addition to his towering size, Psenicka is a great skater who plays physical and can move the puck.

However, as just an 18-year-old, Psenicka simply needs a few more years to develop as he focuses on improving his game offensively and adding some more weight.

But when you think of raw players with a ton of upside, the young defenseman certainly fits that mold and Utah was ecstatic to draft him in the second round.

Caleb Desnoyers | Center | 18-years-old | 6’2″ | 183 pounds

The Mammoth hit the jackpot this summer after winning the 2025 draft lottery and selecting Caleb Desnoyers with the fourth overall pick.

As demonstrated by his performances this past season in the juniors and for Team Canada, Desnoyers was one of the most talented players offensively in the class.

“You win by building through the middle of the ice,” Bill Armstrong said about Desnoyers following the draft.

“We had a chance to draft him, and he’s got a little bit of everything we want. He’s got the skill; he’s got the high hockey IQ and he’s someone who led his team to a championship.”

While Desnoyers emits an abundance of confidence and even mentioned surprising everyone this year by making the roster, it’s not that easy.

In addition to a long list of prospects and talent ahead of him, Desnoyers needs to add weight and become stronger before he’ll crack the roster.

Rest assured though, Desnoyers will be a big part of this team’s future as they build towards a championship roster.

It’ll just take a few years to get there which is completely normal.

Cole Beaudoin | Center | 19-years-old | 6’2″ | 209 pounds

As the second player ever selected by the Utah Mammoth, Cole Beaudoin is all about heart and hustle.

In all areas of the ice, Beaudoin consistently gives 110 percent as he battles in the dirty areas, scraps in front of the net, dishes to his teammates, creates turnovers, and applies pressure.

The perfect example of his game?

Laying out to block a shot in a development game this past summer.

“His work ethic jumps off the chart…We can tell he’s putting work in the gym to turn that strength into hockey strength,” Director of Player Development Lee Stempniak said.

“He’s got a non-stop motor; he just never gives up…he’s really tough to contain…not many guys are going to stop him.”

For Beaudoin, while he really wants to make the roster this season, he’s likely still a year out from legitimately pushing.

“I’m going to keep working hard this summer so I can make the team,” Beaudoin said during development camp.

“Going into camp, believing in myself & I think they believe in me. So, I want to be a big part of this team…I want to show I’m worthy to be on that team.”

Anticipating he returns to the juniors, he needs to focus more on his defensive game and become a shutdown skater in his own zone.

Tij Iginla | Left Wing | 19-years-old | 6’0″ | 194 pounds

The Utah Mammoth took a huge sigh of relief during development camp this summer as their first ever draft selection skated strong.

After undergoing dual hip surgery last winter, Tij Iginla returned to the ice and looked like his normal self.

That’s a big deal.

Despite the injury, Iginla was arguably the best skater at camp as his initial steps were strong, stride was sound, turns were tight, and mobility was never in question.

“I’m almost there,” Iginla said during camp. “I feel good. These are probably the hardest skates that I’ve done since my surgeries.”

Now, while Iginla’s performance at development camp was a huge positive, he still needs some time to fully recover.

So, as he eases his way back into the game, returning to Kelowna is not only the most likely scenario, but it’s what would be best for his development and recovery.

Go back to the juniors, get his legs back under him, push for 100 or more points and help his team make some noise in the playoffs.

Similar to Beaudoin, Iginla’s first legitimate opportunity to push for a spot in Utah will likely be in 2026.

Utah Mammoth prospects who will push at training camp

Artem Duda | Defenseman | 21-years-old | 6’1″ | 187 pounds

Stepping into his fourth year in the pipeline, Artem Duda is prepared to push hard at training camp this fall.

Not that he’ll necessarily claim a roster spot, but this will be his best chance to make some noise at camp following a strong season in Tucson and gaining a notable amount of muscle.

The biggest challenge for Duda, however, is mostly how deep Utah’s D-Core is after a busy summer.

With 10 skaters who could legitimately claim a spot, Duda will likely end up back in the AHL and that’s totally fine.

Keep learning, keep growing and perhaps next season he’ll make even more noise.

Maveric Lamoureux | Defenseman | 21-years-old | 6’7″ | 214 pounds

The 2024-25 season was a year of learning for defenseman Maveric Lamoureux.

After several injuries to Utah’s defense, the 21-year-old was called up to the NHL for 15 games.

In addition to making his debut and scoring his first goal, Lamoureux played decently well given the situation.

However, there was a lot to learn for the young defenseman.

While he didn’t make too many mistakes, he did sit in the penalty box for a total of 42 minutes in 15 games.

That’s a lot.

It was also clear that the coaching staff wanted him to keep his game simple as he learned what it takes to play in the NHL.

Once he returned to Tucson, it also took him some time to regain his confidence.

 

Looking ahead to 2025-26, Lamoureux has been training relentlessly to really push hard at camp.

Similar to Duda, it’s unlikely he’ll claim a roster spot, but he could force the coaching staff to make a tough decision.

Anticipating he yet again returns to the Roadrunners, it would do him a lot of good to thrive in the AHL.

If Utah needs to rely on their depth, he’s likely the first guy they’d call again.

But for now, prove your worth in the A and aim to make the opening day roster in 2026.

Utah Mammoth prospects who will see minutes in the NHL this season

Daniil But | Left Wing | 20-years-old | 6’6″ | 216 pounds

After signing his entry-level deal with the Utah Mammoth this summer, towering left winger Daniil But is expected to see NHL minutes this season.

Related: Utah Mammoth Sign Dmitri Simashev, Daniil But To Entry Level Contracts

But what will that look like?

First off, training camp is going to be huge for the young forward.

If he wants a shot at making the roster from day one, he’s going to have to show out and prove he’s better than a handful of other more experienced forwards.

Assuming that doesn’t happen, But will likely spend a similar amount of time in the AHL that former Mammoth Josh Doan did last season.

Maybe 20 to 30 games to ease into North American hockey and prove he’s ready.

Once he does see minutes, it’ll be interesting to see how he performs.

As an absolute behemoth with notable puck handling skills, But can certainly do some damage in the offensive zone.

But how quickly he’s given the opportunity to demonstrate his talent in the NHL will mostly be up to him.

Dmitri Simashev | Defenseman | 20-years-old | 6’5″ | 203 pounds

As of right now Dmitri Simashev is likely the most well-prepared prospect in Utah’s pool.

Following a Championship season in the KHL and signing his entry deal, Simashev demonstrated his impressive skillset at Utah’s development camp and absolutely stole the show.

In addition to his elite skating, Simashev proved his readiness as he was significantly better than nearly all other prospects in every drill, situation and of course, the scrimmage.

Similar to But, Simashev will need to have an excellent camp.

As one of approximately 10 skaters who could claim a job, I believe the most likely situation for him will be claiming the seventh spot as a scratch to begin the year.

However, in case he is sent to Tucson, it should just be a short stint of 20 or so games to help with the transition.

Additionally, as injuries are generally inevitable, Simashev will get his chance this year, but camp will be the biggest factor in how quickly that happens.

Cole Bagley is the Utah Mammoth insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. You can hear Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
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