The buzz around the Utah Mammoth has continued following their inaugural season.
Whether it’s the new practice facility, official branding, free-agent signings, developing young players and playoff expectations, there is much to be said about the NHL’s newest franchise.
Here is what the rest of the league — more specifically, a beat writer from the other 31 NHL markets — thinks about the Mammoth heading into year two in Salt Lake City.
Carolina Hurricanes: Luke DeCock, The News & Observer
Utah’s roster reminds me of the Hurricanes’ during their playoff drought: Some underrated players but really lacking in star power overall. It’s hard to move the needle that way. Although, to be fair, Vejmelka should be more well known than he is.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Mark Scheig, The Hockey Writers
The Utah Mammoth are clearly starting the new season on the upswing. That momentum started in the lead to the NHL Draft when they acquired JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres. His presence gives the Mammoth a much-needed second dangerous scoring line. Their success will come down to how they fare both at home and against the tough Central Division. They have enough talent as it is to compete for a playoff spot in 2025-26.
New Jersey Devils: Kristy Flannery, The Hockey News
The Mammoth will be a really enjoyable team to watch this season. They have a ton of exciting and talented young players who, with the addition of Peterka, should excel. The club will need to find more consistency in their game, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in this postseason if they can stabilize their play over the 82-game schedule.
New York Islanders: Stefen Rosner, The Elmonters
Being the newest NHL franchise and a young team, I was excited to see them in action last season. Now, entering this season with the additions of Peterka, Tij Iginla, and just another year of the entire team getting acclimated to Utah, I think this is going to be an incredibly fun team to watch. Their top line of Keller, Cooley, and Guenther is a true top line that will only get better with time.
I do think there are holes in their bottom six and on the blue line, but the addition of Stanley Cup winner Schmidt and, hopefully, a healthy Sean Durzi on the backend is key. Listen, they are in a mighty tough division, but I think it’s a team that can rise to the occasion and surprise some people this season, while, of course, rocking the new logo.
New York Rangers: Mollie Walker, New York Post
I think Year 2 for Utah will see the team take a natural step forward. Another year old and another year wiser, the Mammoth should be a true bubble playoff team. I’ve heard such good things about team, player and employee morale over there that I think the organization has something really good going so far.
Philadelphia Flyers: Jackie Spiegel, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Last season’s game against the Flyers still stands out to me as a prime example of why the Mammoth are a team to watch out for — and that was before they added Peterka to the top-six. A high-flying squad, the amount of odd-man rushes and Grade A chances forced Sam Ersson to stand on his head, and with the additions of players like Nate Schmidt and Brandon Tanev, they have a solid split of wily veterans and super-skill rising stars.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Seth Rorabaugh, Tribune-Review Sports
With the benefit of being more settled into their surroundings, the Mammoth should be a more competitive team. Cooley’s continued growth — physically and mentally — should buoy the team’s overall fortunes. The blue line’s health is a legit concern given the age of some of the defensemen. Goaltending is the wild card. Can Karel Vejmelka be a legit No. 1 for a playoff contender?
Washington Capitals: Bailey Johnson, The Washington Post
Peterka is a big get for the Mammoth at forward and adds a boost of goal-scoring and potential star power to a sneaky solid forward lineup; I don’t think many people outside the west know how good Clayton Keller is! The defense is more of a question mark, but adding Schmidt brings reliability and veteran presence, and there are some reclamation projects like John Marino and Scott Perunovich that have high ceilings. I don’t think it’s crazy to think that Utah could make the playoffs this year, if the goaltending holds up.
Boston Bruins: Conor Ryan, The Boston Globe
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Mammoth are one of the top surprises in hockey this season. Last season already validated that Utah has one of the best young cores in hockey between Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther — and the pipeline continues to look strong with guys like Desnoyers and Simashev in the system.
Buffalo Sabres: Mike Harrington, Buffalo News Sports
These two teams are oddly married now: Mammoth fans are curious to see how Kesselring and Doan do in Buffalo while Sabres fans fret over Peterka’s potential in Utah. There’s a cadre of young forwards with the Mammoth to keep them in the wild card hunt but they pretty much have the same key question as Buffalo does: Can they keep the puck out of their net? Will be the story of the season for both.
Detroit Red Wings: Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News
I fully expect Utah to challenge for a playoff spot. They’re deep and talented among the forward group — and I fully expect Keller to have a career-best season. I like the experience and championship pedigree Schmidt can bring to the defense. Karel Vajmelka is an underrated goaltender. The ownership and front office has been aggressive, and I expect their boldness will be rewarded.
Florida Panthers: David Dwork, The Hockey News
This could be a fun season for hockey fans in Salt Lake City. Adding a few key veterans like Peterka, Schmidt and Tanev to a young and exciting roster featuring Cooley, Keller and Guenther could be what gets the Utah Mammoth over the hump and into a playoff spot. Utah also brought in veteran goaltender Vitek Vanecek, fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Florida Panthers, to seemingly support veteran Vejmelka, who has shown plenty of signs of greatness but has lacked the consistency needed to take his team to the next level.
Montreal Canadiens: Simon-Olivier Lorange, La Presse
I thought Utah could be a surprise playoff team last year, and even though the division is going to be pretty brutal in 2025-26, I’m ready to commit with the same prediction. Management made savvy work during the summer by adding both starpower (Peterka) and depth veterans (Tanev, Schmidt). With plenty of cap space and a blooming prospect pool, I see a team that could establish itself as a frontrunner at the trade deadline if playoffs are reachable – more offensive depth and maybe help in front of the net wouldn’t hurt. It’s not far-fetched to think that this organization could become a perennial contender shortly.
Ottawa Senators: Julian McKenzie, The Athletic
I think the Mammoth might need another year or two before they become a playoff team. Still need another star or two to put them over the top. Pacific division is still tough to crack with Vegas, Edmonton and Los Angeles near the top. Vancouver will be looked at to rebound, too. But it’d be cool to see them surprise people.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Eduardo A. Encina, Tampa Bay Times
The Mammoth have the potential of making the biggest jump of any team in the NHL. Last season, they were already tough to play against, especially at the Delta Center. But the offseason addition of proven players like Peterka, Schmidt and Tanev add a veteran presence that can only help Utah’s talented young core learn how to win big games. Those moves also send a message to the dressing room that the time to be a contender is now, which is important for a young club still trying to get over the hump. If they make the playoffs, which I think they will, they can be a dangerous team.
Toronto Maple Leafs: David Alter, The Hockey News
I like the Utah Mammoth’s offseason moves, particularly the addition of Peterka, which strengthens their core youth movement up front. I do feel they could have tried to shore up their defense a little more. Additionally, the club really needs Cooley to take another step and show he can be an elite top-line center in the NHL. That said, the team still has a lot of cap space, which could be valuable if the current core plays well enough to earn some big additions before the trade deadline. A playoff berth this year would help the group’s youth come into their own.
Chicago Blackhawks: Ben Pope, Chicago Sun-Times
It feels like there’s been unusually little fluctuation in the league hierarchy the past few seasons, but I believe the Mammoth are one team that could change that trend and shake things up in 2025-26 — they’re a strong candidate to rise into the playoff mix. Peterka’s arrival and the continued growth of Guenther (who I am very high on) could give them three star forwards — the other being Keller, of course. A fully healthy season from Durzi could be another difference-maker. I’m a little worried about the goaltending, with Vejmelka due for some regression. But I expect the Mammoth to be one of the NHL’s more interesting teams to watch this season.
Colorado Avalanche: Corey Masisak, The Denver Post
Earlier in the offseason, I referred to the Mammoth as a team about to enter its “pain in the ass” era, and it was definitely a compliment. In the short term, I think Peterka will give them some extra offensive juice and they could challenge for a playoff spot if things go right this year. In the long term, the kids that are coming are an exciting mix of skill and size that could make this team really dangerous in coming seasons.
Dallas Stars: Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News
I’m intrigued by some of Utah’s offseason moves, like bringing in Peterka, Schmidt and Tanev, as well as some of the prospects within the organization. I think they could be the difference in Utah holding a more secure spot in the wild card conversation this year. The Central Division is so tough, and I anticipate Winnipeg, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota and St. Louis will all be in the playoff picture for most of the season again. But I see Utah as a fringe team with a chance to break through.
Minnesota Wild: Jess Myers, St. Paul Pioneer Press
My year one observation of the Mammoth is to call them a work in progress, on and off the ice. You could see genuine excitement for the NHL among the fan base. You can see the core of what could be a young up-and-coming team, and you saw some promise in the facility, with much work still to be done.
Nashville Predators: Alex Daugherty, Tennessean
The addition of Peterka rounds out their top six nicely, putting all their most dangerous pieces in the right spots. I’d expect a significant improvement in their attack, though it comes with a heavy cost — losing one of last year’s best defenseman in Michael Kesselring will require more production from guys like John Marino. Struggles on the back end might induce headaches for Utah’s preferred vegetable, Vejmelka. Still, the Mammoth have the talent to push for a wildcard spot in their second year in Utah — I think they get there, beating out the Blues for the final playoff spot.
St. Louis Blues: Matthew DeFranks, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
I think the Mammoth definitely got better over the summer, and should be in the playoff mix in the Central Division. With Peterka now, there’s a group of quality, young scorers in the organization. The depth on the blue line meant they could trade away Kesselring, but I wonder if they can really ride Vejmelka as heavily as they did a year ago.
Winnipeg Jets: Ken Wiebe, Winnipeg Free Press
The Utah Mammoth look ready to take another important step and become a playoff team. For the record, I picked them as the second wild card in the Western Conference in my pre-season predictions last October. And I’m picking them again. Thanks to some tidy work from Bill Armstrong and company, this group has improved once again, especially with the addition of center Peterka via trade. As someone who is familiar with the energy brought by both defensemen Schmidt and Tanev, it won’t surprise me to see them become fan favourites in Salt Lake City.
Calyton Keller looks comfortable wearing the C and he’s motivated to be an Olympian in February. Provided guys like Guenther and Cooley continue to develop up front, this looks like a team that should be in the mix for a wild-card berth and might not be far away from pushing the likes of the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche — as long as the goaltending holds up and the commitment to playing better team defense remains. It won’t be easy since the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild both feel like they’ve improved, making the Central Division an early candidate to be the toughest in the NHL.
Anaheim Ducks: Eric Stephens, The Athletic
It has been slow and steady progression for André Tourigny as he’s guided the former Arizona Coyotes out of a deep rebuild but the Mammoth now have the kind of club that should make a serious challenge for a playoff spot in Year 2 after finishing seven points out of the mix last season. This should be an exciting team capable of more than the 21st-ranked offense that was one reason it fell short. Keller has been there the whole way and it’s hard to think of the winger with the boyish face as a grizzled veteran but the second-year captain is going into his ninth full season and has his best team around him.
The addition of offensive force Peterka to a club already possessing the rising Cooley and Guenther form a dynamic base. Mikhail Sergachev will be boosted by having blueline mates John Marino and Sean Durzi healthy and available for more than the 65 combined games the two played. Tanev is another solid piece for a grit-laden bottom six and Schmidt deepens their defense corps. Vejmelka and Connor Ingram can run hot and cold at times but if they’re both right, that’s a goalie tandem you can win games with.
The biggest challenge for Utah would be 1) avoiding the untimely lengthy losing streaks that have often derailed their progress and 2) cracking into a deep Central Division that captured both wild-card spots. It’s a big year for Tourigny, who has been a good steward for a woebegone franchise that’s now infused with proper ownership and heightened expectations. But those expectations are realistically now within reach.
Calgary Flames: Ryan Pike, FlamesNation
I’m pretty fascinated by the Mammoth right now. They brought over a really interesting base of prospects and young pros from Arizona, and they seem to be starting to mix and match and figure out what puzzle pieces go together. They’re in a tough division, but at some point pieces will start snapping into place and their unique mix of players should cohere into a really fun unit.
Edmonton Oilers: Mark Spector, Sportsnet
Unproven. Since the days of the Coyotes, this lineup has shown promise and flashes of ability — yet the Coyotes/Mammoth have missed the playoffs for five years, and 12 of the past 13 seasons. True, GM Bill Armstrong has only had financial freedom for two seasons now. And he’s made some nice adds in Peterka, Schmidt and Tanev.
But size among the best Mammoth players is still an issue, as are the Avalanche, Jets, Stars and Wild. The Mammoth will have to prove they’re better than one of those Central Division opponents before I’ll pick them as a playoff team.
Los Angeles Kings: Dennis Bernstein, The Fourth Period
The Mammoth will start their second season in Utah with expectations of making the post season. General Manager Bill Armstrong has used his assets wisely to position the team to elevate to the top eight in the difficult Western Division of the NHL. But what the Mammoth fan base should be even more excited about is having fully invested owners in Ryan and Ashley Smith who are willing to do whatever it takes to bring the Stanley Cup to the Beehive State. The Smiths don’t look at the Mammoth as just a sports franchise but also as a vehicle to redevelop downtown Salt Lake City, so it appears their mission is also a matter of civic pride. Even without making the playoffs, I assume the team and organization will make further strides than they did in their inaugural season and have an opportunity to be one of the leading franchises in the NHL.
San Jose Sharks: Sheng Peng, San Jose Hockey Now
Going back to their days in Arizona, the Mammoth franchise has always seemed to be on the verge of something better over the last decade or so…of the playoffs, of a new arena. The last Utah/Arizona/Phoenix full regular season playoff appearance was in 2012. The Mammoth are a team clearly a team on the rise, there’s a good chance that changes this season.
Seattle Kraken: Ryan S. Clark, ESPN
Utah had one of the strongest offseasons of any team in the NHL. It’s the sort of offseason that makes it extremely clear that the Mammoth are either going to make the playoffs or come even closer than they did in 2024-25.
Determining if they make the playoffs is the challenging part for reasons that could have nothing to do with Utah. The West has four teams that are in proven championship windows such as the Avalanche, Golden Knights, Oilers and Stars. The Jets are pushing to get into that conversation while the Blues might be the most dangerous team nobody sees coming. The Kings had an active offseason in their own right by adding veterans in key roles whereas the Wild could once again rely on a farm system that has paid dividends since Bill Guerin became GM.
Of course, those teams all reached the playoffs. The Flames missed by a point with the idea their young players are expected to show more growth with another year of experience. The Canucks might be another team to consider if they can get production from their centers whereas the Ducks, much like the Mammoth, had an extremely strong offseason that could see them be in the discussion.
Bill Armstrong and his front office staff did everything possible. They made the moves that have placed the Mammoth in a strong position to fight for a playoff spot with the caveat that there are possibly 12 teams that feel the same way.
Vancouver Canucks: Rob Williams, Daily Hive Vancouver
Utah showed in the second half of last season that they’re a team on the rise. They have a good young group of forwards, and Guenther is only going to get better. Add Peterka on forward and Schmidt on defence, and this could be a playoff team in the Western Conference.
Vegas Golden Knights: Danny Webster, Las Vegas Review-Journal
The Mammoth still have an uphill climb ahead of them in their division, but if a couple of bounces go their way they are a dark horse in the West.
Keller is a star. Guenther and Cooley are about to take a major leap. Peterka makes that a dangerous top six. Adding Schmidt on the back end brings a championship pedigree and a perfect personality for that locker room.
That franchise has stability now, and a great culture created by André Tourigny. They will challenge for a wild card spot.