The Utah Mammoth open the 2025-26 NHL season on Oct. 9.
With just a few weeks until training camp begins, here are answers to some of your most pressing questions about the team.
The second part of this mailbag will be published tomorrow.
1. What are the chances we see another significant trade this offseason?
I would say low, for a couple of reasons. Following their summer acquisitions — including J.J. Peterka, Nate Schmidt, Brandon Tanev and Vítek Vaněček — along with the signings of Dmitri Simashev, Daniil But and Kailer Yamamoto, the Mammoth have enough high-caliber roster players going into training camp. The internal competition will be at a high for the organization, and it will likely leave deserving players off the opening-night lineup.
There is not a glaring hole that Utah needs to fill before October, and so I think it will look internally for solutions at this point instead of making another move. The team cannot clog things up too much. That being said, if a fortified No. 2 center became available, I imagine Utah would listen. The thing is, that is not realistic. Every NHL team needs center depth and talent, and if you have it, you’re not giving it up.
Another thing the Mammoth have to think about is the number of prospects that could be on their NHL roster in the next few years. Namely, Caleb Desnoyers, Cole Beaudoin, Tij Iginla, But and Simashev. General manager Bill Armstrong has always been level-headed and patient. He sees that crop of players as a key piece of the team’s future. Armstrong is not going to make an out-there trade just for the sake of it. He will stick with the potential stars in the system.
2. Do you think there’s any chance Desnoyers makes the team out of camp or contributes late in the season?
Before news broke of Desnoyers undergoing wrist surgery and missing 12 weeks, my answer was yes, I do think there is a chance. But that possibility is now put on hold as he will be sidelined for NHL training camp, which opens in mid-September.
I also believe another year of development could be the best thing for both Desnoyers and the Mammoth. So, while unfortunate, the injury likely will not disrupt his timeline too drastically.
From our time talking with Desnoyers during development camp, he is a confident young player. Not in an egotistical way whatsoever — he just has an air about him that he knows what he wants and has no problem putting the work in to get there. Desnoyers made it clear: His goal was to make the roster out of training camp.
Injury aside, is he ready? That is up for debate (and hard to fully say before he participates in a camp). Desnoyers is 18 years old, 6-foot-2 and 178 pounds. The raw talent and motivation are there, but he needs to get bigger and stronger for the NHL level. He needs to be ready to play in all situations, and in a top-six role. He needs to recover from surgery, too. It is not benefiting anyone to have Desnoyers dragged along as a bottom-six player or extra forward.
Returning to the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League may help him improve in all of those areas, while working with the Mammoth development staff on the side. Desnoyers had 84 points (35 goals, 49 assists) in 56 regular-season games with the Moncton Wildcats last year, and 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists) in 19 playoff games to secure the league title. He has already been named captain of the team for next season.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Caleb Desnoyers (18) during Utah Mammoth development camp in Park City, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
From what I have heard, Moncton was expecting Desnoyers to return if he did not make the Utah roster — and now with the injury, that seems like the route. There were previous rumors that linked Desnoyers to NCAA hockey with Boston College, but that does not seem to be the case now.
The NCAA changed its rules to allow players from the Canadian Hockey League to compete in Division I hockey starting Aug. 2025, so it is still an option for Desnoyers — and one a lot of the NHL’s top prospects have taken.
So, if Desnoyers does not make the Mammoth team out of training camp and returns to the QMJHL (or the NCAA), do not panic. The NHL developmental process is different from the NBA and usually benefits the player.
3. In your estimation, did Mammoth management address all of the team’s needs for building a roster?
The Mammoth management addressed a lot of the team’s needs this offseason.
For one, they added a legitimate top-six scorer with Peterka. That was one of Utah’s biggest problems last season — getting timely goals and extending a lead. Peterka, who has yet to hit his prime, should help with that. Tanev and Schmidt add veteran, winning experience to the latter half of the forward and defensive groups, respectively. Plus, a bit of personality, which is a bonus for that locker room. Vaněček was an important grab for some insurance in the net. Given the uncertainty around Connor Ingram, the Mammoth needed another goaltender to be there for Karel Vejmelka.
(Paul Vernon | AP) Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt waits for the puck drop against the Columbus Blue Jackets during an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, Thursday, March 20, 2025. Schmidt signed a three-year deal with the Utah Mammoth in July 2025.
Armstrong went out there and made a moderate splash, and he did it smartly. I do not think the team wants to overdo it with value or term for a “big-name” player right now. They showed that during free agency. I think they feel comfortable with the trajectory of guys like Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, and their top prospects. The Mammoth, as I previously mentioned, need to leave room for those players to grow into bigger roles in the organization and are not going to spend for the sake of it and take away that opportunity.
They have the pieces internally to be a contending team in the next few years — it is just a matter of waiting for those players (But, Simashev, Desnoyers, Iginla, Beaudoin) to pan out alongside the supporting cast the group already has (the veterans brought in).
I sound like a broken record talking about the need for a No. 2 center — and let Barrett Hayton play more of a middle-six role — but I think there’s a belief that Desnoyers (or, hey, maybe Beaudoin) could be the solution eventually.
4. Which player(s) do you think will have a breakout season this year?
While this question usually lends itself to an answer about up-and-coming young players or prospects, I actually think it applies to some of the Mammoth who have been within the organization for some time.
I will start with Lawson Crouse. He needs a breakout season, and I think he is capable of it. The 29-year-old associate captain struggled mightily last year. The forward had 18 points (12 goals, six assists) in 81 games after posting 42 points (23 goals, 19 assists) in 2023-24. Crouse’s confidence, production and overall impact on the game improved in the second half — a lot of it was a change in mindset, he said — and he will need to carry that over. With a $4.3 million AAV and two years left on his contract, Crouse can prove himself once again as a grinding middle-six wing who knows how to score. The Mammoth will be a better team if he does.
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club left wing Lawson Crouse handles the puck versus the Seattle Kraken at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
Sean Durzi is another name that comes to mind. The way last season went for the defenseman was not his fault — he got injured in the fourth game of the season and subsequently underwent shoulder surgery that kept him out four months. It did, nonetheless, hinder his effectiveness. Durzi went all in during his rehabilitation with the goal to return stronger than before, and, for the most part, he was able to jump back into play in February. But nothing compares to actual game reps and you could see that he was a step or two behind on some plays when he returned. He finished the year with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 30 games and can most definitely surpass that — and remain a figure on the power play — if he comes in and stays healthy.
5. Which home game are you looking forward to the most?
This is not a fun answer, but I am honestly most excited for opening night against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 15. The anticipation for the second season in Salt Lake City is high — especially with the new personnel, Mammoth branding and loyal fanbase ready to go. Being back at Delta Center for the first time since April with everyone is circled on my calendar.
I will also throw in the Nov. 12 game against the Buffalo Sabres, which will be the return of Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan. I imagine that will be an emotional night for both those players and the Mammoth faithful. And, selfishly, Nov. 22 against the New York Rangers. As serious as the job is, it is special to take a moment and realize how cool it is that you get to cover games against your childhood team. Always a moment of gratitude for me.
6. When will the jerseys be released?
It sounds like the new Mammoth jerseys will be ready for purchase before the start of the season. There is no official release date yet. I will put out that information when we get it.
7. How many goals will Keller get this season? Will Captain Keller get 100 points this season?
Even though Clayton Keller hit a career-high 90 points last season, he was not satisfied when we talked with him at the end of the year. Keller said he wanted to score more (he had 30 goals). He leaned into his playmaking (with 60 assists) and made those around him better, but Keller thinks he can shoot the puck more and that the next step for him is “being a dual-threat.” You could argue that Keller is already a dual threat, but there are no doubt more goals to be potted for him.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) as Utah Hockey Club hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL hockey at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
Keller’s career high in goals was 37 in 2022-23 through 82 regular-season games. I do think 40 goals is a possibility for next season. If he keeps up the assists, that would be a 100-point year. Keller deferred to his linemates for stretches of last season. As did Nick Schmaltz and Hayton when the trio was together. Keller needs to be more selfish with the puck at times — he has the shot and the vision to do so.
I do not think anyone else will hit the 100-point mark. The closest behind would probably be Cooley and Guenther, but I do not think that will happen yet.
8. Will the Jazz Bear continue to pull double duty now that the Mammoth have a mascot?
It does not seem like it. Jazz Bear surely had a good amount of overtime hours to log after holding court at the Delta Center five to six days a week last season. However, when Smith Entertainment Group announced the hockey team’s new Mammoth branding, owner Ryan Smith said a new mascot would be part of the updated in-game experience. There has been no reveal of the name or look of the Mammoth mascot, but I suspect that is something fans can look forward to on opening night on Oct. 15.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Jazz Bear gets into the spirit of hockey for Utah Hockey Club’s first NHL season kicks off at the Delta Center against the Chicago Blackhawks in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024.
9. Being optimistic here, assuming the Mammoth make the playoffs, what playoff team from last year doesn’t make the playoffs this year?
Is it a cop out to just say the two teams that were in the Wild Card spots last season — the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues? The Mammoth were seven points behind the Blues, who secured the second Wild-Card spot in the Western Conference. The Vancouver Canucks were six points out, and the Calgary Flames missed on a tiebreaker. The race will be tight again, and, from the Central, it does not seem like the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars or Colorado Avalanche are going to fall off that hard. The same goes with the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific. It feels like it will have to be the Blues or the Wild (and the Mammoth will hope Calgary and Vancouver don’t surge … which they could).
10. What do you think will happen with the goaltending behind Vejmelka?
The goaltending behind Vejmelka will ultimately depend on who is ready to go and playing well at training camp. And that ties back to the question of whether or not Ingram will return, and if he does, in NHL shape.
Ingram entered the NHL’s player assistance program on March 9, leading to Vejmelka taking over as the Mammoth’s starter. The team has not had contact with Ingram since he entered the program. With training camp a month away and no real updates there, it seems Vaněček may get a real shot to earn the backup position.
Vejmelka started in a record 23 consecutive games down the stretch last year, which was reassuring to see his consistency, but not sustainable for an 82-game season, especially if the team is planning on making the playoffs (and needing Vejmelka then). If Ingram is not an option, Vaněček will be tasked with coming in to relieve Vejmelka at times. I do not think that will — or should be — a rotation.
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) as Utah Hockey Club hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL hockey at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
The Mammoth gave Vejmelka a five-year, $23.75 million contract extension in March, and that comes with more responsibility. The team will want to use the resource it is paying for, too. I think Vejmelka will start 60-70% of the season — so around 55-60 games. Utah won’t want to outwork him, but still be able to rely on his stability.
For Vaněček, signing with the Mammoth (one year, $1.5 million) could revitalize his play. Armstrong thinks so, at least. Vaněček was a depth option for the Florida Panthers last season and had a 3.62 goals against average and .884 save percentage in 25 games. Armstrong said he believes Utah goaltender coach Corey Schwab can help Vaněček get back to his numbers from 2022-23 with the New Jersey Devils (2.45 GAA and .911 SV% in 52 games). He will need to be good enough to play at least 25-30 games — and keep the Mammoth in it.