Connor Hellebuyck #37 of the New Jersey Devils warms up before a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on October 30, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Sitting in second place in the Central Division with 10 wins already under their belt, the Utah Mammoth have enjoyed an eventful start to the season.
Beyond establishing themselves as one of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Mammoth have given fans plenty to talk about. From struggles between the pipes and roster shuffling to being linked to nearly every major trade rumor around the NHL, there has been no shortage of storylines surrounding the team.
Here’s what I’ve been hearing in regard to those topics.
At this stage of the rebuild, Utah is going to find itself linked to just about every major trade rumor across the National Hockey League.
Why?
Because they have to.
The Mammoth have the assets to pursue nearly any player who becomes available, and they’re constantly looking for ways to take the next step by adding the right complementary pieces around their core.
Whether it’s Connor Hellebuyck, Dylan Larkin or Nikita Kucherov, Utah has the resources to make a call—and there’s no reason they wouldn’t.
That’s exactly why the Mammoth had legitimate interest in Hellebuyck. And why wouldn’t they?
It’s not every day that a top-three goaltender becomes a potential trade target. When a player of that caliber becomes available, you at least pick up the phone and find out what the asking price looks like.
Unfortunately for Utah, that’s about as far as things went.
Unsurprisingly, the Winnipeg Jets had little interest in trading their superstar netminder within the Central Division, at least not without receiving a significantly higher return from a divisional rival.
Essentially, Utah would have needed to include one of its top young players in a package compelling enough for Winnipeg to consider moving its superstar netminder within the division.
Did the Utah Mammoth make the right call not going all in on Connor Hellebuyck?
On the Utah Hockey Podcast, Mammoth insider Cole Bagley and Michael Wolfe explain why they believe the price for Hellebuyck was too high—and why Utah was right to protect its young stars.
#utahmammoth #tusksup
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 26, 2026
Instead, the Jets opted to send him as far away as possible, accepting a lesser return from New Jersey in the process.
The logic was simple: by moving him out of the Western Conference, Winnipeg would only have to face him twice a season, with virtually no chance of meeting him in the postseason.
A deal with Utah—or any other Central Division rival—would have meant facing him four times a year, with a much greater possibility of running into him again in the playoffs.
For those reasons, a trade between Utah and Winnipeg was never particularly realistic.
As previously mentioned, the Utah Mammoth are always looking for ways to improve their roster.
Utah will explore what a potential deal could look like if a high-profile player becomes available, just as any team would.
However, there’s more to consider than simply acquiring another star. The Mammoth must weigh the cost of each potential deal, how a player would fit into their existing core, and whether taking on a significant contract could create financial complications down the road.
Take Mikhail Sergachev, for example.
That was exactly the type of deal Utah needed to make. Sergachev was the right age, carried a manageable contract, didn’t require an overwhelming return to acquire, and has fit seamlessly into the lineup as the team’s defensive anchor. Unfortunately, opportunities to make those kinds of deals are becoming increasingly rare.
Dylan Larkin, for instance, checks several of the right boxes. He’s still in his prime and carries a relatively team-friendly $8.7 million AAV through 2031. The bigger question, however, is where he fits.
As a top-six center who has spent much of his career anchoring Detroit’s top power-play unit, what role would Larkin fill in Utah?
The Mammoth aren’t going to disrupt the chemistry of the NHL’s top power play, and there’s already limited room available among their top-six forwards. Acquiring a player of Larkin’s caliber would undoubtedly create some difficult lineup decisions.
Nikita Kucherov presents an entirely different set of concerns: age and salary.
Despite averaging nearly 130 points over the past few seasons, Kucherov’s long-term future in Tampa Bay has become a question mark, particularly amid reports that the Lightning have explored contract offers in the $13 million to $15 million AAV range.
👀 Per sources ; I’m told 1st offer was around 13M, revised offer 15M only after Carlsson 18M offer sheet & Makar 20M deal. Kucherov is a Hall Of Fame , has a
great relationship w HC Cooper, will play out his contract, told his teammates and club he won’t re sign in Tampa. There were 4 people in the room during meeting in Nashville; Kucherov, his agent @HockeyAgent1, GM Brisebois and HC Cooper. #Hockey— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) November 1, 2026
Would it make sense for Utah to mortgage a significant portion of its future for a 33-year-old superstar who could command that kind of salary?
Probably not.
After hitting the reset button six years ago, the Utah Mammoth have built one of the deepest prospect pools in the entire NHL.
Featuring players such as Caleb Desnoyers, Tij Iginla, Dmitri Simashev, Daniil But, Michael Hrabal, Maveric Lamoureux and Ethan Belchetz, among others, Utah is attempting to accomplish something many organizations struggle to achieve: drafting well, developing its talent, and eventually integrating those players into the NHL lineup as the team continues to take steps forward.
We’ve already seen that approach pay off with Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther.
This season, Dmitri Simashev and Daniil But have been the latest examples of that process.
Looking ahead, the hope is that prospects like Desnoyers, Iginla and others will continue to work their way into the lineup, providing the organization with another wave of young talent capable of helping the Mammoth reach the next level.
They greatly value those players and are pleased with the growth Iginla and Desnoyers are making on a nightly basis in Tucson.
TIJ IGINLA’S FIRST CAREER GOAL https://t.co/ofdlqAGPel
— Tucson Roadrunners (@RoadrunnersAHL) October 29, 2026
Desnoyers GOAL in back-to-back games! https://t.co/SPYpSiSLR4
— Tucson Roadrunners (@RoadrunnersAHL) October 11, 2026
As mentioned above, drafting, developing and eventually integrating prospects into an NHL lineup is one of the most challenging aspects of building a successful organization.
Some players simply need more time than others, and not every prospect enters the organization with the same opportunities to succeed.
As Utah continues to progress through its rebuild, finding meaningful ice time for its young players is becoming increasingly difficult. That’s ultimately why Daniil But was sent back to the AHL this past week.
The decision wasn’t necessarily a reflection of his performance, but rather a matter of opportunity. Playing just six or seven minutes a night on the fourth line wasn’t doing much to benefit his development.
Instead, But can return to the American Hockey League, receive consistent ice time, regain his offensive confidence and put himself in a position to earn another NHL opportunity later this season.
The Utah Mammoth will continue their six-game road trip as they debut their new “Hometown Remix” sweaters against the Montreal Canadiens night at 5 p.m. MT.
The game will be available on SEG+.
All Mammoth games will also be broadcast live on the KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM).
Cole Bagley is the Utah Mammoth insider for KSL Sports. Follow him on X. You can hear Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
