The Utah Mammoth have put themselves in position to make noise if Connor Hellebuyck ever becomes available, and the appeal is obvious: they have the draft capital, young talent and goaltending pieces to build a real offer.
That kind of flexibility matters in a deal this big. Utah doesn’t need to sell Winnipeg on one single path. It can bring a menu.
At the center of that conversation is Sebastian Cossa. If the Mammoth want to show the Jets they’re serious, Cossa makes more sense as the starting point than Karel Vejmelka. The reason is simple: Cossa carries the better long-term upside in net, while Vejmelka has already raised more questions than answers at times.
Cossa was a longtime goaltending prospect for the Detroit Red Wings before being acquired in a trade for the 23rd overall pick, JP Hurlbert, in this year’s draft. For Winnipeg, that kind of prospect could make a Hellebuyck deal much easier to stomach.
Utah’s not short on other ammunition, either. The Mammoth own a strong stash of draft picks over the next several years, including a first-round pick in 2027 and two first-round selections in 2028. That gives them the kind of trade flexibility teams covet when the market gets wild.
And the picks aren’t the only chips on the table. Tij Iginla, Caleb Desnoyers, and Max Psenicka are among the young players who could draw interest if Utah decides Hellebuyck is worth the cost.
That’s what makes this possibility so intriguing. Utah doesn’t have to outbid everyone with one headline piece. It can simply overwhelm Winnipeg with choices: Cossa for upside, Vejmelka for immediate NHL help, draft picks for long-term replenishment, and young players to round out the package.
The Mammoth have already shown they’re willing to move significant assets for established NHL talent, including in the trade for New York Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck. The question now is how far they want to keep pushing in that direction.
Hellebuyck would be a different level of swing entirely. If Utah landed him, it wouldn’t be crazy to view them immediately as Stanley Cup favorites.
If Winnipeg is truly open to moving Hellebuyck, Utah has the kind of inventory that lets it build a serious offer without getting boxed into one specific route. That’s what makes the Mammoth such a compelling team to watch in this conversation.
Vejmelka may be the easier NHL-ready answer, but Cossa is the asset that could matter more to Winnipeg in the long run. If Utah is willing to pay that price, it could put itself in position to go all the way.
In Other News...
Former Coyotes Goalie Prospect Is Forcing His Way Into Utahs Plans
Michael Hrabal has already given Utah a reason to keep him on the radar. The 6-foot-6 Czech goalie, a former second-round pick, signed his three-year entry-level deal in March after a standout season at UMass, where he drew plenty of attention as one of the most intriguing young netminders in the pipeline. For a club trying to build out its long-term depth in goal, the appeal is obvious.
Hrabal is still viewed as a prospect who is not expected to jump straight into NHL duty, but his college resume made him impossible to ignore. His strong year included Hockey East Player of the Year honors, and he piled up the kind of recognition that tends to keep a goalie in the conversation even after a team adds another prospect to the mix. With Utah also bringing in Sebastian Cossa, the competition in the system is starting to feel real, and Hrabal has done enough to make sure his name stays in it. [Read more 🡒]
Utahs Next Step May Hinge On A Prospect Battle Fans Need To Watch
Utahs first playoff trip in franchise history in 2026 was built in part on the kind of young talent that can change a teams trajectory quickly, with Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley helping drive the push into the postseason. Now the next wave is lining up behind them, and the organization is facing the familiar challenge that comes with success: figuring out which prospects are ready to turn promise into permanent NHL roles.
The camp battle worth watching centers on a crowded mix of hopefuls, with Tij Iginla and Caleb Desnoyers among the names expected to push for roster spots alongside Danil But, Gabe Smith and Joshua Roy. The pecking order will not be settled until the group gets into training camp and proves who can handle the pace and demands of pro hockey, a decision that could shape how high Utahs ceiling rises from here. [Read more 🡒]
Utahs Goal Scoring Race Says Everything About This Offense
Utahs forward group has a nice problem heading into 2026-27, with several players who can realistically stake a claim as the clubs top goal scorer. Nick Schmaltz gives the Mammoth a proven finishing threat after a 33-goal season, while Logan Cooley continues to look like a driver for the next wave of offense. Add Dylan Guenther to that mix and the scoring race starts to say a lot about how deep and balanced this attack can be if the younger core keeps taking steps forward.
Guenther is the name that keeps rising because his progression has been steady and the ceiling still looks higher than the production he has already shown. Cooley brings the kind of skill that can tilt games, and Schmaltz provides veteran certainty at the top of the lineup, but the real intrigue is how Utahs offense could spread its finishing across multiple lines instead of leaning on one obvious source. For a team built around growth, that kind of internal competition may be as encouraging as any single scoring total. [Read more 🡒]