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Published on:

29th Jul 2026

Spring Cleaning – Utah Mammoth

Spring Cleaning – Utah Mammoth

The Utah Mammoth took a major step forward during the 2025-26 season, qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in only their second year in Salt Lake City. Led by Clayton Keller and an exciting young core, Utah earned the first Wild Card position in the Western Conference before falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in six games. Neil Smith and Vic Morren examine the franchise’s progress, its impressive depth, the areas that still need improvement, and why Utah could soon challenge for a top-three position in its division.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00:00] The Mammoth qualify for the playoffs as the Western Conference’s first Wild Card team. It marks the first postseason appearance for the Arizona-Utah franchise since the 2020 bubble and its first traditional playoff berth since 2012.

[00:00:25] Utah gives a strong account of itself in the opening round before losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in six games. Neil sees the Mammoth as a young, exciting team that has made meaningful progress.

[00:00:45] Captain Clayton Keller leads a talented young foundation. After entering the season expected to challenge for a Wild Card berth, Utah does more than simply knock on the door and successfully earns a playoff position.

[00:01:00] Vic looks back at the franchise’s final season in Arizona, when the team remained competitive through roughly 45 games before news of the relocation contributed to an 0-12-2 collapse.

[00:01:25] The move to Salt Lake City provides stability, but Utah remains inconsistent at home. The Mammoth post a .537 winning percentage at the Delta Center, tied for 22nd in the NHL.

[00:01:50] Keller is joined by Dylan Guenther, Nick Schmaltz, and Logan Cooley as the centerpiece of the offense. Utah also strengthens the lineup by acquiring J.J. Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres.

[00:02:10] The defense features Mikhail Sergachev, Ian Cole, John Marino, and Sean Durzi. Utah also signs Nate Schmidt following his Stanley Cup-winning season with the Florida Panthers.

[00:02:30] Karel Vejmelka provides dependable goaltending, but Neil believes the Mammoth need another strong option in net with Vitek Vanecek approaching unrestricted free agency.

[00:02:50] Statistically, Utah improves by only three standings points from the previous season. However, its goal differential jumps from minus-10 to plus-28, showing a much stronger overall team.

[00:03:15] The Mammoth improve from 17th to 12th in goals against, although their goals-against average and save percentage remain similar. Their special teams rankings also decline despite the playoff qualification.

[00:03:35] Utah makes an important late-season acquisition by adding defenseman MacKenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames, further strengthening an already capable blue line.

[00:03:55] Much of Utah’s improvement comes from deeper in the lineup. Lawson Crouse matches a career high with 24 goals and finishes with a career-best plus-20 rating.

[00:04:15] Michael Carcone scores 16 goals and records a career-high 31 points. Kailer Yamamoto becomes increasingly important late in the year and contributes five points in the playoff series against Vegas.

[00:04:35] Kevin Stenlund, Alex Kerfoot, Jack McBain, and Brandon Tanev give André Tourigny four dependable forward lines. That depth allows Utah to remain competitive even when its stars are not producing.

[00:04:55] Neil cautions that the Western Conference was weaker than the East, making the playoff path somewhat easier. Utah will need further improvement to guarantee another postseason appearance.

[00:05:15] Compared with Nashville, Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim, St. Louis, and Winnipeg, Utah appears to maintain a small but consistent edge throughout the season.

[00:05:35] The Mammoth avoid the extended winning and losing streaks that define many other teams. Their consistency from October through April becomes one of their greatest strengths.

[00:05:55] General Manager Bill Armstrong enters the 2026 NHL Draft with seven selections, including two third-round picks and two fifth-round picks.

[00:06:15] Utah does not own a second-round pick after including it in the MacKenzie Weegar trade. The organization also lacks a sixth-round selection following a previous pick swap with Nashville.

[00:06:35] The Mammoth project to have approximately $5.5 million in cap space before the July 1 reset. Neil believes Salt Lake City has also become a more attractive destination for NHL players.

[00:06:55] Unrestricted free agents include Alex Kerfoot, Kevin Stenlund, Kevin Rooney, Kailer Yamamoto, Ian Cole, Nick DeSimone, and Vitek Vanecek. Barrett Hayton is the team’s lone restricted free agent.

[00:07:15] Neil identifies Kerfoot as the unrestricted free agent Utah should prioritize retaining. Armstrong must then determine how to replace any veterans who leave during the offseason.

[00:07:35] Compared with many teams featured in Spring Cleaning, Utah does not require a major overhaul. The roster already has a strong foundation and primarily needs additional depth and goaltending support.

[00:07:55] Neil believes the Mammoth remain a few years away from becoming a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. However, their playoff experience and young core could allow them to challenge for a top-three position in the division as soon as next season.

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About the Podcast

NHL Wraparound Podcast
Neil Smith & Vic Morren
Breadth and depth.
Contemporary and historical.
Straight-forward and experienced.
The NHL Wraparound podcast features Neil Smith, President-General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers and longtime ESPN/NHL veteran Vic Morren sharing no-nonsense opinions on news and issues around the National Hockey League.

Bringing decades of experience from their respective fields, Smith and Morren create a unique partnership that examines the NHL from multiple perspectives. Additionally, as hockey historians, the pair can delve into any topic in today’s game and enlighten the audience with connections to events from previous years. To truly appreciate where hockey stands today, one needs to understand its past.

With 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of the Rangers last championship season, a special five-part series is planned to commemorate that magical run. Expect fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and special guests with particular focus on the GM who pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table amidst the most pressurized environments – and came out on top.

Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned fan, each episode of NHL Wraparound will leave you entertained and informed.


Bio’s
Neil S. Smith, highly regarded NHL executive, served as the President and General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers. During his eleven years with the team, they achieved significant success, including three division titles, two Presidents’ Trophies, one Eastern Conference Championship, and a historic Stanley Cup victory—the franchise’s first in 54 years.

Known for his expertise in professional sports franchise economics, Smith played a pivotal role in management decisions under four different Rangers owners.. His tenure saw iconic trades and acquisitions, including Hall of Famers Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky, as well as successful drafts and free-agent signings.

Starting as a pro scout, Smith's career highlights include the impactful 1989 draft for the Detroit Red Wings and bold trades that shaped NHL history. He briefly served as GM for the New York Islanders in 2006, later working as a consultant for the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

A Toronto native, Smith's hockey journey began in junior leagues before a distinguished college career at Western Michigan University. He has received numerous awards and distinctions, including induction into the University's Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.

Vic Morren: Born in New York City close to the Old Madison Square Garden, Vic Morren has had hockey in his blood his entire life as a fan, player and television production manager.

A graduate of William Paterson University, Morren skated for three seasons with the Pioneers hockey club and became the first statistical analyst to apply his craft to telecasts working New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils games from 1984-87. He co-authored two NHL-based statistics books within that span before moving to ESPN in 1987 and working the final season of the original deal the network had with the NHL.
After departing in 1990, Morren worked as a studio producer for SportsChannel America’s NHL coverage and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before returning to ESPN that fall where he worked all 12 seasons on the second ESPN/NHL deal and the first season of the most recent contract in 2021-22. Morren has also earned a Sports Emmy for his work on Sunday Night Football coverage in 2003.

His relationship with Neil Smith dates back 33 years through their mutual friendship with the late ESPN/ABC commentator John Saunders. Morren looks forward to NHL Wraparound and collaborating with Smith with the goal to provide an experience of contemporary viewpoints, historical spin and an overall enriching podcast experience.