Inside look at Utah Mammoth

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the Utah Mammoth.

The Utah Mammoth are developing -- as an organization, as a team, as a group of mostly young players.

Their inaugural season laid groundwork. The Mammoth (38-31-13) became part of the sports fabric in Utah but finished sixth in the Central Division.

This season, that won't be considered enough.

"We've got bigger aspirations of getting in (the Stanley Cup Playoffs)," general manager Bill Armstrong said, "and you're going to see that right away."

They already have some of the right pieces.

Clayton Keller, 27, led Utah with 90 points (30 goals, 60 assists) last season. Logan Cooley, 21, had 65 points (25 goals, 40 assists) in his second season. Dylan Guenther, 22, was fourth with 60 points (27 goals, 33 assists), behind 29-year-old forward Nick Schmaltz (63 points; 20 goals, 43 assists).

"I'm super excited about our group," said Keller, the Mammoth captain. "So confident in our guys, our prospects. We just have a great mold and mix of guys that all love being around each other. Everyone's like a family on our team."

But Utah averaged 2.93 goals last season, tied with the New Jersey Devils for 20th in the League.

"Everything can always be better," president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong said. "How can we be 10 percent better in every area? How can everybody, as individuals, get 10 percent better in this offseason?"

Bringing in forward JJ Peterka might help. The 23-year-old, who had an NHL career-high 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists) last season, was acquired in a trade from the Buffalo Sabres on June 26 and signed a five-year, $38.5 million contract.

"If you look at his points last year, he's roughly around what Cooley was," Bill Armstrong said. "So, he's got an opportunity to come in and have an impact on our top two lines. I think it's something that he can grow into."

Defenseman Nate Schmidt and forward Brandon Tanev could add a veteran presence. Schmidt signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract on July 1 after winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers. Tanev agreed to a three-year, $7.5 million contract the same day. Schmidt, 34, and Tanev, 33, would only be younger than defenseman Ian Cole, 36, on the Utah roster.

Goalie Vitek Vanecek signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract on July 1. He could battle with Connor Ingram, who was cleared by the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Aug. 20, to back up Karel Vejmelka, the presumptive No. 1.

"I think, in the big picture, what we did today was tidy up the loose ends and make us a stronger team. I think you're going to see that come training camp," Bill Armstrong said on July 1. "Now, we've signed some free agents that are going to come in and push with our core. It's going to be probably the most competitive team we've had so far and it will be the most competitive camp we've ever had here. So, it's exciting times.

"People want to come here. They see the talent. They see what's going on in Utah. We always say, 'There's something special happening in Utah.' I think people in the free agency world can feel that."

Cooley, the youngest of the core forwards, is part of that feeling. But the No. 3 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft is entering the last of a three-year, entry-level contract. Guenther was in a similar position a year ago before signing an eight-year, $57.143 million contract on Sept. 20, 2024.

"It's a mutual thing that you get together with the player and the agent and get down to work," Bill Armstrong said. "There's a lot of comparables out there for a player like that, so we're looking forward to those talks. Obviously, he's a great young player in our organization. We've had success in getting the Dylan Guenther contract done.

"So, we'll definitely look at it and we'll update you as we move along in the summer. But there's certainly no rush at this point. There's other priorities. Not that Logan's not a huge priority, but it's just the way it rolls and we'll deal with it at some point in time in the summer."

To be fair, there are plenty of other young players to track.

Five more first-round picks could debut soon. Defenseman Dmitriy Simashev (No. 6) and forward Daniil But (No. 12) were selected in the 2023 NHL Draft. Forwards Tij Iginla (No. 6) and Cole Beaudoin (No. 24) were drafted in 2024. Forward Caleb Desnoyers was taken No. 4 in 2025.

The Mammoth aren't a finished product; far from it, probably. That doesn't mean they have to wait their turn.

"I embrace every stage because every stage brings a challenge, brings something to get you going," coach Andre Tourigny said. "You're chasing something, so there's challenge, important phases. It's an important stage. With that said, you do all of that for one reason -- to win. We want to win the Cup. That's what we want. Where are we in that stage? I will let you judge that."