Who’s the Utah Mammoth’s Biggest Rival? Right Now, That’s Still Up for Debate
When fans filed into the Delta Center last weekend for a Saturday matinee, they were greeted with a sea of white rally towels draped over every seat. The Utah Mammoth wanted this one to feel big. Not just another midseason matchup, but the kind of game that carries a little extra edge - a potential rivalry game.
The opponent? The Seattle Kraken - a fellow Western Conference team and, more importantly, a geographic neighbor.
For a young franchise like Utah, every opportunity to build a rivalry is gold. But as head coach André Tourigny put it, rivalries aren’t handed out with the schedule.
They’re earned.
“Rivalries are built on the ice and in games. That builds up,” Tourigny said.
“But against Seattle it’s been hit and miss. Last year we didn’t really have a good game against them and then we did.”
Utah ultimately came out on top against Seattle, 6-3. A solid win, no doubt. But was it enough to spark something more?
That’s the question Mammoth fans - and the franchise itself - are still trying to answer: Who is Utah’s true rival?
Proximity Isn’t Everything
If you’re looking at a map, the easy picks are Colorado, Vegas, and Seattle. But rivalries aren’t born from zip codes - they’re forged in emotion, in hits that linger, in games that leave a mark.
Tourigny knows that better than anyone.
“It has to be the games,” he said. “We’ve had teams that we compete harder against or they compete harder against us.”
So far, the most visceral reaction from the fan base hasn’t come from a neighbor - it’s come from St. Louis.
The Blues and the Bad Blood
Ask around, and you'll hear the same name pop up: the St. Louis Blues.
Why? One moment. One hit.
When Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko took out Utah star Logan Cooley with a knee-on-knee hit, it didn’t just sideline a key player - it lit a fuse. The next time the teams met, gloves hit the ice almost as fast as the puck. Fans took notice.
“Right now I think it’s the Blues,” said Jeff Grace, a Utah local. “Ever since the Blues played and knocked out Cooley, it’s been a fight.
Dropped the puck and there was a fight. … Show up and it’s war.”
That’s how it starts. A dirty hit.
A response. A memory that lingers.
Vegas Brings the Noise - Literally
Then there’s Vegas. Not necessarily because of what happens on the ice, but because of what happens in the stands.
With Salt Lake and Vegas separated by just a six-hour drive, Golden Knights games in Utah feel like a neutral site event. Both fanbases show up - and show out.
“The Knights’ games are intense with the spectators,” said Mammoth fan Sarah Hippo. “You don’t know if it is our team or their team with the puck because of the loudness the entire time.”
That kind of environment can be a spark. It’s not quite hatred - yet - but it’s certainly not friendly.
Seattle falls into a similar category. On Saturday, Kraken fans were three rows deep before the game, waiting for autographs. There's a buzz when they come to town, and that matters.
“The Kraken are a rival only because it is a new team,” Hippo added. “Those games seem big. You can’t even get tickets because it’s selling so fast.”
But Not Everyone’s Convinced
Still, not every fan is buying the Vegas or Seattle hype.
“I don’t feel that rivalry with Vegas,” said Laura, a Mammoth season ticket holder.
And when it comes to Colorado - the most logical rival on paper - the connection feels even thinner. Salt Lake and Denver have long been paired together in sports, but that doesn’t mean the fans feel it.
When Utah joined the Pac-12, the conference tried to manufacture a rivalry between the Utes and the Colorado Buffaloes. It never quite clicked. And so far, the same lukewarm energy seems to apply to the Avalanche.
A Wild Card from the East?
With no clear-cut rival in the West, some fans are looking farther afield. Way farther.
How about the New Jersey Devils?
It might sound random, but there’s a reason: Utah has never beaten them. And sometimes, that’s enough.
“That’s a team I don’t like and probably fans don’t like,” said fan Cam Rodgers. “Teams that kind of have our number.”
You can’t force a rivalry, but you can feel one brewing when a team keeps getting the better of you. That sting adds up.
Still Searching
During Saturday’s game against Seattle, there were moments when Utah fans tried to drown out the Kraken cheers after goals. That’s a start.
But it wasn’t exactly hostile territory. And that’s the thing - rivalries need more than noise.
They need moments. They need time.
As Tourigny said, the Mammoth are still in that early stage - learning, developing, building.
And that goes for the fan base too.
“I think we are still learning,” Hippo said. “The fans, it’s still developing.”
It’s not a matter of if a rival will emerge - it’s a matter of when. Whether it’s the Blues, the Kraken, the Knights, or even the Devils, Utah just needs more of what makes rivalries real: emotion, history, and a few unforgettable games.
For now, the rivalry race is wide open. But if Saturday was any indication, the Mammoth are getting closer.