The average hockey fan might not realize just how talented the Utah Mammoth are.
After losing last spring in the opening round of the playoffs in six games to the Vegas Golden Knights, Utah General Manager Bill Armstrong had an active off-season that should have Utah fans excited for the future.
Utah Could Soon Be Stanley Cup Contenders
Mammoth Made Big Off-Season Splash By Getting Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee
Among his moves were two major ones made on July 1st when Armstrong added veteran leadership, grit, and depth scoring by acquiring 32-year-old forward Vincent Trocheck from the New York Rangers, along with signing 36-year-old unrestricted free agent and former 14-year New York Islanders forward Anders Lee.
Trocheck, who has over 800 NHL games under his belt, was traded to Utah in exchange for defenseman Sean Durzi, forward prospect Cole Beaudoin and a 2027 third-round pick going back to the Rangers.
“Vincent Trocheck, another ultimate teammate, a guy that’s a glue guy. He’ll do anything for his teammates. He’s good off the draw. He’s a right-handed draw. He can get in the bumper and score some goals,” Armstrong said. “He really can just fit around people and do whatever needs to be done at the time. He did that with Team USA to win a gold medal, but he’s done that for a lot of his career.”
Trocheck might be past his prime, but he still produced 16 goals along with 53 points and 64 PIM, which shows that he still has that knack for scoring. In his career, this 5’10”, 183-pound centerman has played for the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Rangers and now Utah, where, in 868 games, he has scored 239 goals along with 631 points and 593 PIM.
Besides depth scoring, Trocheck also excels in the faceoff circle, where, incredibly, for more than 11 straight seasons, he has won more than 50 percent on average of his draws. Utah will definitely be more of a dangerous team not only in the regular season but also in the playoffs, given the vast postseason experience Trocheck brings and his experience in winning, which he did last year with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
No question, July 1st was a great day for the Mammoth franchise, which, as mentioned, not only traded for Trocheck but also signed Lee, who was the Islanders team captain.
Lee also brings some playoff experience to this young team as he has produced 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) and 48 PIM in 46 career playoff games. On the opening day of free agency, Lee agreed to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $5.4 million.
Besides leadership and playoff experience, Lee, who is a physical player, also makes Utah an up-and-coming team because of his tremendous depth scoring, which last season saw him score 19 goals and 42 points along with 44 PIM in 82 games with the Islanders.
“Anders is one of the most respected leaders in the NHL, and we are very proud that he chose Utah,” Armstrong said. “He is one of the best net front players in the game and one of the most durable guys in the league. He will be a great fit on the ice for our young players and an even better role model off the ice as a past King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner.” The Mammoth, who are a young and talented team, now have that veteran leadership to bring them to that next level.
Mammoth’s Young Forwards Ready To Take That Next Step
A major strength of the Mammoth is its talented young forwards who have proven to be a nightmare for opposing goalies and defensemen around the league.
Leading the offensive charge up front in the early part of this year has been 30-year-old centerman Nick Schmaltz, who, after seven games, leads the team with nine (six goals, three assists) points. Schmaltz, who began his career with the Chicago Blackhawks, is now in his 11th season and is looking to build on last year’s career campaign, which saw the veteran score 33 goals and 74 points.
Besides the great contributions of Schmaltz, Utah’s dynamic offence revolves around the franchise’s 2016 first-round pick Clayton Keller, who this year has scored 11 points (three goals and eight assists) in eight games, along with Logan Cooley, who was drafted first round in 2002, and Dylan Guenther, who was selected ninth overall in 2021 and has already produced four goals and eight points in seven games while averaging only 16:38 of ice time per game.
Last season, Keller had 88 points (26 goals and 62 assists), but perhaps more impressive is that he went from a plus/minus of -12 the year before to finish last season with a plus/minus of +21.
Meanwhile, Guenther, who is only 22 years old, is coming off a career season which last year saw him produce 73 points (40 goals, 33 assists), while Cooley, who is also 22 years of age, is coming off a 43-point season (24 goals, 19 assists) in only 54 games played.
This is a pretty explosive offense that should be even better this season, which is a pretty scary thought for the opposition.
Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev Off to a Fast Start
The Utah defense core is led by 28-year-old veteran Mikhail Sergachev, who leads the blue line with nine points (two goals, seven assists) in the first eight games. Known for his offense, Sergachev is a staple on the team’s power play and averages over 20 minutes of ice time per game.
While the team’s defense might not consist of household names, they are an effective group who, in the first eight games, have surrendered only 21 goals against.
The Last Word
While the Mammoth shouldn’t be considered Stanley Cup contenders, they are definitely an exciting young team who are ready to take that next step forward. The addition of Trocheck and Lee should, if everything goes right, propel them on a long playoff run. Utah fans definitely have a reason to be pumped.
