The Utah Mammoth may have the scoring and the top-end talent to keep climbing, but when it comes to the one move that could push them closer to the league’s elite, Cole Bagley pointed first to the back end.
Asked what area would help the Mammoth take the next step toward becoming a Stanley Cup contender, Bagley said a more established goalie “probably wouldn’t hurt,” though he added he does not know whether the team would actually go that route. He pointed to the organization’s belief in the Sebastian Cossa-Michael Hrabal tandem as the long-term answer in net.
For now, Bagley described Karel Vejmelka as “that bridge goaltender” who can carry them through the next couple of years while the team works toward its immediate goal.
“Right now the goal is just to get back to the playoffs. It’s not to compete for a Stanley Cup.”
Bagley said that once Utah gets back into the postseason, the expectation will shift toward winning a series and seeing how far the group can go. Still, he made clear that goaltending would be a harder area to address than other parts of the roster.
Where he sees the clearest opportunity is on defense.
He said the Mammoth already have a strong core and noted that they are scoring plenty of goals and piling up points. Mikael Sergechev, in Bagley’s view, is having “a heck of a season,” while Mackenzie Weegar has begun to settle in. He also described John Marino and Nate Schmidt as solid pieces.
The bigger issue, he said, is the depth behind that group. Dmitry Simashev is beginning to find his footing, and Andrew Peake has been “a solid addition,” but Bagley believes another veteran presence would help stabilize the unit.
He also mentioned Simon Edvinsson as the kind of player who could fit what Utah needs - someone who could strengthen the depth while also adding to the future. In his view, that kind of addition would make the most sense if the Mammoth want to speed up the rebuild.
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For a franchise still building its identity in Utah, the program gives fans another way to connect with the club while supporting a cause with real impact. Bryce will be a familiar face around the team in the months ahead, and his first public appearance for supporters is set for Military Appreciation Night on Nov. 12, when the Mammoth plan to spotlight the work behind the initiative. [Read more 🡒]
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Jones has plenty of experience at both the AHL and NHL levels, and his time with the Roadrunners has kept him on the radar in the desert. He has produced well in Tucson and has been one of the more productive defensemen on that blue line, which makes this recall worth tracking even if it does not immediately change the picture in Arizona. [Read more 🡒]
Utahs Hot Start Faces A Week That Will Test How Real It Is
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Now comes the part of the schedule that will say a lot more about where this start belongs in the bigger picture. A matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights and another against the St. Louis Blues are waiting this week, and for a team that has already shown it can score and hang around on the road, the next few nights will be a better test of staying power than anything that came before. [Read more 🡒]