Utah Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong speaks at a press conference to recap the NHL Draft and preview Utah’s development camp at the Asher Adams Hotel in Salt Lake City on Sunday, June 29, 2025 (Tess Crowley, Deseret News).
(Tess Crowley, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – Following the Utah Mammoth’s inaugural season, General Manager Bill Armstrong and his players made their intentions clear for year two.
Qualify for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Didn’t matter how or when they got there but as long as the Mammoth were one of 16 teams remaining when the regular season concluded, the year would be considered a success.
Additionally, after delivering on their promise of a postseason berth, Utah offered a commendable first-round performance as they pushed the eventual Western Conference Champion Vegas Golden Knights to six highly competitive games.
So, mission accomplished, right?
In regard to season two, absolutely.
But where do the Mammoth go from here?
According to Bill Armstrong, there’s plenty of work yet to be done as Utah continues to build towards eventual contention.
While half the league qualifies for the postseason each year, making the playoffs is still no easy task.
Doesn’t matter if you’ve been there plenty of times before, qualified the previous season, or recently won the Cup, Lord Stanley is no respecter of persons.
A harsh lesson that even the Florida Panthers (reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions) and Winnipeg Jets (2025 Presidents’ Trophy Winners) recently learned as both teams missed the playoffs this season.
It’s a tournament that consistently requires more.
“The biggest thing is that we’ve got to build off of where we are,” Armstrong told KSL Sports. “We’ve got to come into camp hungry. Our mindset has to be right coming through the door because sixteen teams made playoffs the year before and only ten came back.”
“There’s a hunger that you have to have in your blood that’s got to be boiling all summer. It’s going to be a slugfest to get back into the playoffs and each game is going to be huge for us.”
Like Armstrong said, Utah needs to be unsatisfied with last season’s result.
Not to say they should be discouraged by any means, but there’s no reason to settle for making the postseason only once.
With a young core, multiple prospects knocking on the door of making the roster this fall and an understanding of where they can be better, there’s plenty of potential to build on what they accomplished in 2026.
“When I talk about building off this year, it was having that confidence, knowing that we’re a good team coming through the door and trying to be a step better. Trying to improve on the PK, power play, and get to one-hundred points,” Armstrong explained to KSL Sports.
“That’s our goal this year and I think if we focus hard and everybody has a great summer of training, is hungry, and makes a difference, we have a great chance to do that.”
For any team looking to eventually lift the Stanley Cup, identity is critical.
For the Mammoth, their identity is primarily defined by speed and skill which they consistently use to generate off the rush while also breaking teams down at even strength by swiftly circulating the puck throughout the zone.
https://t.co/bhU4JoAN30 pic.twitter.com/CXMLvhKYDq
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) May 2, 2026
Served up nicely by Yams! 🍠🍽️
Gunner ties this one up! pic.twitter.com/pwe0fBmTdc
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 30, 2026
🗣️Crouser for the lead!
2-1, Utah. pic.twitter.com/UdLJgeixZs
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 30, 2026
“How does Utah play? They play fast,” Armstrong noted. “That’s our identity…that’s kind of our thing is speed and skill.”
While speed and skill will continue to be their strong suit, at some point, Utah needs to get a little bit bigger.
According to Armstrong, he foresees that happening naturally through either their prospect pool or free agency.
“I think size for us will happen naturally,” he said. “Either through free agency or through our prospects coming through…it’ll happen naturally.”
“We want to continue on that base of being a fast organization, a fast team. Not only with size and skill but also being able to push that pace.”
As Armstrong outlined, Utah will have an opportunity to get bigger via their prospect pool.
That means utilizing players such as Dmitri Simashev, Daniil But, Caleb Desnoyers, Cole Beaudoin, Maveric Lamoureux and Gabe Smith at some point in the future.
But which of those guys are prepared to fully claim a roster spot now?
Several years removed from most of their draft years, there could be multiple prospects who end up with the big club this season.
“We’re probably going to have the most talented crop of young players coming in a mass, right? From the goaltender to Iginla, Desnoyers and Beaudoin, it’s a great crop to come through the door,” Armstrong told KSL Sports.
“Someone is going to have a chance to make our hockey club this year.”
For Simashev and But, both should be striving to make the opening day roster.
Stepping into their fourth year of professional hockey (KHL, AHL, and NHL) and second in the National Hockey League, there should be an expectation for them to make the team.
Goal changed to But with assists from McBain and Tanev. https://t.co/RQq0JflXC4
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 8, 2026
“My message to them [But and Simashev] was to go home, have a huge summer of training, get better…and come in and take a job,” Armstrong added.
“They’ve got more experience than most and they’re going to be pushing to not only make our club but make our club better.”
What about those three first round picks from the last two years?
Between Caleb Desnoyers, Tij Iginla and Cole Beaudoin, one of those players should make the team this fall.
Who has the best chance?
While I’ve been critical of his performance this past season in Moncton and not as high on him as others, Desnoyers likely has the best opportunity.
If he can live up to expectations while properly utilizing his size and skill, he’ll have a really good chance to claim a job.
Caleb Desnoyers joined Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Huberdeau and Jonathan Drouin as the only draft-eligible players to win QMJHL Playoffs MVP this century! 🏆 #NHLDraft
(🎥: @QMJHL & @monctonwildcats) https://t.co/TP12BrwAg4 pic.twitter.com/44DsxWq0oF
— NHL (@NHL) June 24, 2025
For those that don’t make the team, they’ll continue developing in Tucson with occasional opportunities to be called up as players inevitably get injured.
Just as he’s done since the beginning of the rebuild, Armstrong will continue to explore every avenue in order to make his team better.
Whether that’s through the prospect pool, free agency or trade, the goal remains the same.
Make the club better and push the envelope.
“We wake up every day and try to get better,” Armstrong said. “Is that through free agency? Is it through the draft? Is it through prospects that are now getting ready?”
“We have to. That’s a day-to-day process…whether it’s a trade, a free agent, or putting a prospect in the NHL, we’re going to look at everything to make this club better…if we have that type of mentality, the sky’s the limit on what we can do the next two or three years.”
So, what does that mean for this free agent class?
Look, there will always be additions.
It’s just the way it works as money needs to be spent and spots need to be filled.
But to be completely honest, this class is incredibly weak and might be one of the worst in recent years.
What does that mean?
Trades on a league-wide scale as teams recognize there’s not much out there but still want to improve their club.
Time will tell how Utah plays into that but one thing is for sure.
Step-by-step, day-by-day, Armstrong will do whatever it takes to improve Utah’s roster.
So far, the rebuild has been a success and there’s no reason to believe that the next few years won’t follow the same pattern.
The next notable event for the Utah Mammoth will be the NHL Draft on Friday, June 26, 2026, at 5 p.m. MT.
