The Utah Mammoth came into the 2026 NHL Draft with momentum, options and a clear mission: keep adding talent. After a season that ended with the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Playoff berth in its second year, Utah was no longer picking from the top of the board. That shift changed the shape of the draft, but it didn’t change the approach.
General manager Bill Armstrong has made his philosophy plain - get the best available player and keep building. Utah did exactly that by working the market before the draft even began, turning forward JJ Peterka into draft capital and then turning one of those picks into goaltender Sebastian Cossa.
Peterka went to the Boston Bruins in exchange for the 2026 23rd overall pick and a conditional first round pick in 2028. Utah then moved that 2026 first rounder to land Cossa, a deal Armstrong said gave the Mammoth both immediate help and flexibility down the road.
“JJ (Peterka) was a great player for us. To get two first round (picks) for him, it’s a great value,” Armstrong explained. “One first rounder allowed us to go get one of the goaltenders we’ve been hunting for the last few years (Sebastian Cossa) and then I think, with the other pick, it allows us to have some ability to make some bigger deals down the stretch with another first rounder in the bank.”
Cossa arrives with a resume built in the AHL over the last four seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins. In 123 regular season games, he posted a 2.46 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage and eight shutouts.
Before turning pro, he and Utah forward Dylan Guenther were teammates with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL. Now, Cossa gives Utah more depth in goal and could back up Karel Vejmelka next season.
“If you look at his work in the American League over the last few years, he’s at the point where he’s accumulated enough games in the (AHL) and his age is absolutely perfect,” Armstrong said. “And now he’s going to have that opportunity to take that next step … he’s a goaltender that we moved towards and he has a chance to really step in here and be a huge piece for our club next year.”
The deal also opens the door for Utah’s younger players. Caleb Desnoyers, Cole Beaudoin, Tij Iginla and Gabe Smith now have a clearer path to compete for spots when training camp opens in September.
“Those guys are going to come into camp excited, and they know there’s a spot there and there’s opportunity for them,” Armstrong said. “They’re going to come in fired up and ready to go.
I think for them, having a little bit of that opportunity is a great thing. You never know, one of those kids could have a huge impact.”
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One name that has surfaced in that search is Kirill Marchenko, a 25-year-old forward whose steady goal production has made him one of the more attractive young pieces on the market. Columbus may not be in position to demand a massive return, which is why the conversation could come down to whether Utah is willing to part with prospects or picks to land a player who would fit its timeline and raise the ceiling of the offense. [Read more 🡒]
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Valentinis fall has made him an interesting name in Utahs pipeline, especially since he was viewed as a much earlier pick by a lot of draft watchers. For a team that is suddenly flush with young talent and future assets, that kind of value swing matters, because it can affect not just who sticks long term but also what pieces the Mammoth might have to work with if they decide to swing bigger later on. [Read more 🡒]