The Utah Mammoth are heading into their second season after a gigantic offseason. First, they decided on a mascot, ditching Utah HC after one season, and they brought in a new winger to help their scoring. Can the addition of JJ Peterka, among others, help the Mammoth make the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Peterka came over from the Buffalo Sabres in a trade, with a seven-year extension attached. They sent prospect Shane Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring to Buffalo for the winger. But to quell any concerns about their defense getting worse, they signed Stanley Cup Champion Nate Schmidt in free agency. With momentum from a new fan base and elite young talent, this could be the year Utah makes a big jump.
Will the Mammoth make the playoffs in 2025-26? Find out here in our bold predictions.
Clayton Keller finishes Top 10 in MVP voting
The Mammoth got great seasons from their three young forwards, which creates a bright future in Utah. Clayton Keller led the way with 30 goals and 90 points, his third consecutive 30-goal season. Despite the great season, he did not receive a single vote for the Hart Trophy. Part of the reason is the lack of team success, as Utah missed the playoffs. This year, he will get enough MVP votes to finish in the top ten.
A few things have to go right for Keller to jump from never receiving an MVP vote to the top ten. The Mammoth have to make the playoffs, and he has to eclipse 100 points, prerequisites that nearly all the forwards in the top ten reached last year. Jack Eichel scored 94 points but had an elite defensive season. Alex Ovechkin broke the all-time goals record, and Nick Suzuki reached the playoffs in Montreal. Keller won't get any of those bumps, so he needs a big season.
That is conceivable for this Mammoth squad, which scored a lot last year and only improved this offseason. They should be good enough to have Keller in the top ten of MVP voting.
JJ Peterka sets career high in goals
Part of the reason Keller could reach 100 points this year is the new winger the Mammoth brought in to score goals. JJ Peterka scored 28 in 2023-24 and 27 last year on a dreadful Sabres team. With a young, energetic team around him, Peterka should see an increase in offensive production, leading the team in goals.
If Keller is going to get 100 points and Peterka is going to lead the team in goals, that would put the winger in the 35 to 40-goal range. While he has never reached that plateau before, he has also never been a central piece of a team pushing for a playoff spot. They should lean on him on the power play, at even strength, and in big moments for the biggest goals. This trade should work for the Mammoth, and it will pay off in Year 1.
The Mammoth make the playoffs
The Utah Mammoth will make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in 2026, clinching a Western Conference Wild Card spot. They are in the deep Western Conference, where all eight playoff teams from last year feel like they can make it again in 2026. But the Los Angeles Kings made some curious moves, and the St Louis Blues barely snuck in.
There is almost always a change in the Stanley Cup Playoffs year over year, and the Mammoth are the prime candidates to break into that group this year. They believe in Karel Vejmelka in net, they fortified the defense, and their offense is hitting its stride just in time.
The later years of the Arizona Coyotes were bleak, but in just two offseasons, the Mammoth have turned things around. The additions of Mikhail Sergachev and Peterka show their commitment to winning, which will be rewarded.
