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This time last year, the Utah Hockey Club was nearing its first strides in Salt Lake City after spending the summer moving and rebranding and introducing a young roster to a whole new market of hockey fans.

Normalcy started to settle in when the season got underway as players could finally focus on the game instead of the noise around it in the desert or the logistics of moving to the mountains.

But as Year 2 in Utah begins, thereâ€s plenty more change afoot. Theyâ€ve got a new name, for one thing, with the organization bidding farewell to the Hockey Club moniker and welcoming in a new era as the Mammoth, complete with a new logo and new sweaters. They have a shiny new practice facility, too — a project befitting the Mammoth name that came together in a year and shows players (both current and prospective) just how serious owners Ryan and Ashley Smith are about giving players every opportunity to excel.

The biggest change, though, is the expectations around this club. The playoffs are no longer something to build towards but rather an expectation. This young core, led by captain Clayton Keller and fellow top-six skaters Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther, isnâ€t just about channeling potential anymore, but rather playoffs. Thereâ€s an expectation now that the Utah Mammoth are ready for post-season hockey — and a legitimate confidence that they can make some noise once they get there.

Utahâ€s top priority this off-season was to add a top-six forward to complement it young trio up front and bring some goal-scoring consistency to the group. The Mammoth didnâ€t waste much time doing just that with the acquisition of Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres. Peterkaâ€s skillset — heâ€s a goal-scoring winger they can plug into the top-six — and trajectory (heâ€s only 23) perfectly fits the Mammoth mould as they look to take a giant leap out of their rebuild. That the club signed him to a five-year contract with a $7.7 million AAV upon arrival made it clear Utah considers him a core piece moving forward. And itâ€s easy to see why: Peterkaâ€s breakout campaign in Buffalo in 2023-24 saw him collect a career-high 28 goals and put together his first 50-point season; he followed it up with 27 goals and an impressive 68 points last year.

The addition of Peterka isnâ€t just about adding 20-plus goals. Itâ€s about opening up the playbook of potential line combinations with the addition of another young star. Place him on the top line next to Keller, or alongside Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther — all of whom are poised to build on last yearâ€s production — or perhaps alongside second-line centre Barrett Hayton in hopes of helping him thrive. Whatever the combo, itâ€ll be fun to see how Peterka can help elevate this young group.

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Another newcomer to Salt Lake City, Schmidt joins the club fresh off hoisting the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers — and itâ€s that experience that makes him such a smart acquisition for the young club. The 34-year-old, who signed a three-year pact to join Utahâ€s blue line, bounced back with Florida last year on a one-year deal after being bought out by Winnipeg and was particularly impressive in the post-season with three goals and 12 points in 23 games to help Florida defend its title.

While Schmidtâ€s not going to break a game wide open, his presence should provide stability and depth for a group that dealt with plenty of setbacks last season. Utahâ€s defence was hit hard by injuries last year, with only Ian Cole able to play a full 82 games as John Marino was limited to just 35 games and Sean Durzi managing a mere 30. Schmidtâ€s leadership as a veteran player — and as one of just a few Mammoth players who knows what it takes to win it all — is his biggest value.

Utah lucked out when it jumped several spots in the draft order to claim the fourth overall selection despite just barely missing out the playoffs, and it made the most of the fortuitous bounce by picking Desnoyers. The centreman wonâ€t be hitting the ice soon — he underwent off-season wrist surgery thatâ€ll hold him out a chunk of the fall — and when he does, it wonâ€t be with the big club just yet but rather back with his QMJHL squad in Moncton.

But while patience is key, the excitement is real. Desnoyers is a complete player, with leadership and a big personality to match, and itâ€ll be fun to see what he can do with the Wildcats once heâ€s not dealing with the wrist injury that plagued him for much of last season. Listed as the second-best prospect under age 23 across all NHL organizations in our 2025 ranking, Desnoyers†well-rounded game will make him a fan favourite once heâ€s ready for the NHL.

1. Can Keller take another big step forward — and can Cooley and Guenther join him?

After posting 37- and 33-goal campaigns in 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively, Keller shifted some of his focus to playmaking in 2024-25 with a career-high 60 assists to go with another 30-goal season for a personal-best 90 points in 81 games.

Now, heâ€s poised to put it all together and hit another milestone: 100 points for the first time in his career. The 27-year-old has proven year-over-year his ability to step into a larger role, and with playoff expectations hovering over the season and the teammates around him poised for breakouts of their own, it would be foolish to doubt Kellerâ€s quest for triple-digit production. Considered a brink player for a Team USA roster spot at the Olympics in February, thereâ€s no denying the extra motivation at play, too.

Kellerâ€s career-high campaign coincided with a breakout season for Logan Cooley, who at just 21 enters his third NHL season after tallying 25 goals and 65 points. Guenther, too, is coming off his own breakout as a full-time NHLer, collecting 60 points in 70 games last year and sitting second on the team in goal-scoring with 27.

Add in Peterka, and weâ€ve got a rising tide in the mountain town that should see several young stars take important steps forward.

The acquisition of Peterka was a big win for Utahâ€s top six, but it came as a cost in the depth department both offensively and on defence as Josh Doan and Michael Kesseling went to Buffalo in return.

On offence, with so much focus on the top six to take a step forward, itâ€ll be interesting to see how the rest of the lineup shakes out. Can Lawson Crouse take a leading middle-six role? Will Jack McBain build on career bests? Can big Daniil But break into the league with a roster spot out of camp?

On defence, the questions are just as pressing — especially considering the slew of injuries suffered last year. With Dmitri Simashev challenging for a spot and Maveric Lamoureux also on the brink, how will the defence take shape throughout the season?

Vejmelka took the long road to the NHL, but after landing in Arizona in 2021 and sharing the crease in the three seasons that followed, he has proven heâ€s the right man for the top job in Utah — and now heâ€s here to stay, thanks to the five-year, $23.75 million extension he signed in March. Forgoing unrestricted free agency in a season of career highs — 55 starts, including 23 in a row down the stretch, 26 wins, a 2.58 GAA and .904 save percentage — speaks to Vejmelkaâ€s confidence in the club and the teamâ€s faith that heâ€ll build on his steady 2024-25 campaign.

The 29-year-old is the unquestioned No. 1 entering this season, and the team is clearly counting on him taking another step forward. A healthier blue line in front of him should surely help things, and bringing in some insurance behind him in the form of Vitek Vanecek should solidify the blue paint, too.

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