When you look at the usual Western Conference heavyweights, the list has felt pretty stable for years: the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights. Minnesota Wild have been part of that conversation too over the last 12 months or so. But this season, another name is pushing into the picture.
The Utah Mammoth look ready to make that jump.
For GM Bill Armstrong, this has been a long time coming. He took over the then-Arizona Coyotes in the fall of 2020, inheriting a roster that needed a rebuild and an ownership situation that was, by any measure, chaotic.
That wasn’t exactly a dream assignment. But after years of drafting, waiting and, in this case, a relocation disguised as an expansion, Armstrong’s plan is finally showing up on the ice.
Utah made the playoffs for the first time as the Mammoth, and the first time since 2020 if you count the Coyotes, and now the next target is much bigger: Stanley Cup contention in Salt Lake City.
One Western Conference executive put it plainly: “Making the next step,” said one Western Conference executive when asked about Utah coming out of the West. “It makes sense to me.”
The case starts with how complete the roster already is. Utah finished with the sixth-most points in the Western Conference, but the underlying numbers were even more impressive. The Mammoth ranked top-10 in expected goals for per 60 and expected goals against per 60, and their overall xG% ranked sixth leaguewide.
Offensively, the depth stands out. Seven players finished with at least 43 points in the regular season, including defenseman Mikhael Sergachev, who had 59 points in 78 games. Clayton Keller led the way with 88 points in 82 games, and Dylan Guenther hit the 40-goal mark in 79 contests.
Then there’s Logan Cooley, the biggest swing factor on the roster. He missed 28 games because of injury, but still managed 24 goals and 43 points in 54 games.
Over an 82-game pace, that projects to 36 goals and 65 points. If he stays healthy for a full season, Utah’s center group becomes one of the deepest in the NHL.
That depth got even stronger this summer. Vincent Trocheck, acquired from the New York Rangers, projects as the third-line center based on training camp lines.
The 2026 Olympic Gold Medalist is coming off a 53-point season in 67 regular-season games, which is a luxury most teams simply do not have in their bottom six. Barrett Hayton could even end up on the wing or on the fourth line to start the year, which says plenty about how crowded Utah is down the middle.
A fourth-line center making just under $5 million per season is not a bad problem to have.
Not every move has landed cleanly. The JJ Peterka deal, in particular, didn’t work out.
Armstrong acquired Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres in 2025, sending Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring the other way. By last June, he had already changed course, moving Peterka to the Boston Bruins for two first-round picks.
That kind of correction matters. Mistakes happen.
What separates strong front offices is knowing when to move on from one before it drags the team down. Armstrong did exactly that, and he also addressed the need for a top-six left winger by signing Anders Lee to a three-year, $16.2 million contract.
The former New York Islanders captain brings a tougher, more experienced edge to a young forward group that still lacks some of that battle-tested seasoning.
“Both (forward additions) will fit in seamlessly,” said one Eastern Conference executive. “Good additions and solid team.”
The defense remains largely intact, and Karel Vejmelka is back as the No. 1 goalie after playing the most regular-season games in the league last season with 64. Utah also made a quieter move by bringing in Sebastian Cossa from the Detroit Red Wings. The 2021 first-round pick gives them another option in goal, both now and later.
What really makes Utah dangerous is not just the roster as it sits today. It’s what the team could still do during the season.
The Mammoth are projected to have more than $21 million in salary-cap space by the Trade Deadline, and they also have the kind of prospect capital that can turn them into serious buyers. One GM told DFO that Utah would be among the frontrunners if they are willing to put their prospects in play.
The names to watch there are Caleb Desnoyers and Tij Iginla. Desnoyers, a 19-year-old centerman and 2025 first-round pick, put up 78 points in 45 regular-season games with the Moncton Wildcats last season.
At 6-foot-2, he would draw plenty of interest if Utah ever made him available, though that does not mean he is being shopped. Still, given how deep the Mammoth are at center, it is at least possible to imagine the conversation.
Iginla is another major chip. Utah’s inaugural pick in franchise history had 90 points in 48 regular-season games with the Kelowna Rockets last season, and that kind of scoring touch would attract attention anywhere.
Put it all together and Utah has a team with real top-end talent, strong depth, cap flexibility and trade assets. In a Central Division that won’t make anything easy, the Mammoth have still emerged as the clearest breakout candidate in the Western Conference.
In Other News...
Former Coyotes Face Tough Roster Cuts As Utah Gets Closer To Opening Night
The Utah Mammoth took another step toward opening night with a practice at the Delta Center, where the focus was less on the spotlight of a renovated rink and more on the hard roster decisions that come with the final days of camp. With the preseason winding down and a final tuneup against the Colorado Avalanche ahead, the group kept its attention on refining systems and settling in for the regular season.
Several players were sent to the Tucson Roadrunners as the roster began to thin out, and the moves underscored how close Utah is to locking in its first group for the season. The team also put a handful of players on waivers with the goal of assigning them to Tucson, a reminder that the last cuts can be the toughest part of this stretch, especially for players trying to stay in the mix as opening night approaches. [Read more 🡒]