The Utah Mammoth is one of the most interesting teams to watch in the Western Conference heading into the 2025-26 season.
The organization took steps in the right direction last year, in its first season since relocating from Arizona. Utah finished 11th in the Western Conference, posting a 38-31-13 record and 89 points.
The team has been building around a young core – a result of a rebuild that started close to half a decade ago in Arizona. Then, after showing progress this past season, Utah was able to bulk up this offseason.
Notably, the team acquired JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres. Peterka is just 22 years old and posted 27 goals and 68 points in 77 games with the Sabres last season. Meanwhile, the team also signed defenseman Nate Schmidt to a three-year contract. Schmidt is coming off a career resurgence after winning a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers. The team also brought in forward Brandon Tanev.
But while the team added this offseason, they still have a few questions about their roster. With the 2025-26 NHL season rapidly approaching, here are three potential trade candidates on the Mammoth's roster.
Nick Schmaltz's future in Utah remains a question
Of Utah's 2026 free agents, Nick Schmaltz is by far the most valuable. Schmaltz is 29 years old and was originally acquired by the Arizona Coyotes in 2018. Since then, Schmaltz has consistently been one of the organization's top forwards. This past season, Schmaltz posted 20 goals and 63 points in 82 games, but he's previously shown an ability to produce at an even higher rate.
However, Schmaltz has just one year left on his contract. As a result, the Mammoth will have to make a decision on whether or not to extend him, on a deal that will almost certainly be more expensive than his current $5.85 million cap hit.
But while Schmaltz has been a consistent producer, his age raises questions about whether he's truly a long-term fit. By the time Schmaltz's next contract kicks in, he'll already be 30 years old. Meanwhile, the Mammoth have been building around a younger core, featuring forwards in their early 20s, and other prospects who aren't far off.
At the same time, the Mammoth are looking to improve next season. The organization took steps forward in its first season in Utah and should be in the playoff mix this year. Obviously, moving Schmaltz won't help with that.
But with Schmaltz entering the year on an expiring contract, he's one of the team's most valuable trade chips. If an extension isn't in the cards, the team could potentially look to deal him either for future assets or as part of a bigger move.
Juuso Valimaki won't have much of a role upon return
It's easy to forget that Juuso Valimaki is just two years removed from being the organization's highest-producing defender. Valimaki posted 34 points across 78 games in 2022-23 and seemed poised to be a bigger part of the organization's future. Even in 2023-24, while the defender's production dropped, he still averaged over 19 minutes per game.
Last season, though, Valimaki's campaign was one to forget. He played in just 42 games and was a healthy scratch at times, posting just five points. Valimaki was later placed on waivers and then ended up injuring himself in his first AHL game in three seasons. He ended up having ACL surgery and isn't expected to be ready for the start of the coming season.
Even when he's back from injury, Valimaki's path to a role with the Mammoth seems very difficult. The team already has a set six-man defense group heading into the year, with others who can fill in.
With another year remaining at a $2 million cap hit, Valimaki won't have much trade value, if any. At the same time, some team will almost certainly be hit with injury trouble and could take a chance on Valimaki when he's healthy.
Mammoth could move a goalie
Heading into the season, the Mammoth have three NHL-level goalies.
Karel Vejmelka is set as the team's clear starter and signed a five-year extension with the team earlier this year. This past season, Vejmelka posted a .904 save percentage while playing 58 games.
But the Mammoth also have two other netminders at their disposal, in Connor Ingram and Vitek Vanecek.
Ingram is just a year removed from a season where he played 50 games with the Arizona Coyotes and managed a .907 save percentage. This past season, though, Ingram played just 22 games before entering the Player Assistance Program in March.
With Ingram's status for the coming season in question, the Mammoth signed Vitek Vanecek to a one-year deal. Vanecek has bounced around over the last couple of seasons but was part of the Florida Panthers' Stanley Cup win as a backup behind Sergei Bobrovsky.
However, Ingram was recently cleared by the Player Assistance Program and should be back for the start of the season. As a result, it leaves the team with three NHL goaltenders heading into the year.
Ingram clearly has the higher ceiling than Vanecek, and Vanecek won't have much trade value. But we can expect it's not overly realistic for the Mammoth to keep three goalies on their roster, so we could see a netminder moved at some point.
