2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Utah Mammoth’s Top 10

Credit: Steven Ellis

Welcome back.

It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses, and so much more.

Here are the criteria for being labeled a prospect: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games. Players over 23 years old are not included. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they must be 25 or under and have played fewer than 20 games in the past season or fewer than 30 games over their career.

Today, we’re breaking down the Utah Mammoth.

Utah might be the newest market in the NHL, but I’m starting to think it won’t be long until they’re finally competitive.

Obviously, they’re in a much different situation than Seattle or Vegas were, where they had to build their own team from scratch. But a few strong drafts by Bill Armstrong and Co. has allowed the Mammoth to build one of the most exciting pipelines in all of hockey.

They’ve got two of the best forwards out of the CHL from last year in Tij Iginla and Caleb Desnoyers. Sebastian Cossa and Michael Hrabal are two of the best goalie prospects in the world, and the Mammoth has both of them now. And that doesn’t even scratch the surface on the number of towering defenders the team has; it really helps play into the “Mammoth” nomenclature.

Biggest Strength

I said it last year and I’ll say it again: this scouting department loves its big dudes. They have so many big forwards, defenders, and even two large massive goalkeepers to choose from. While Utah’s top six might be on the smaller side, the fact that they have so many players standing 6-foot-5 or taller ready to go in the next few years should make them a difficult team to deal with. I think they could afford to select some smaller, skilled guys in the near future, but it’s hard not to love their draft strategy year after year.

Biggest Weakness

It’s a bit nit-picky, given forwards can move around. But the Mammoth don’t have a ton of depth on the right wing. There isn’t a single one that appears on this list. And I’m not particularly high on any of the ones they have in the system. Joshua Roy could play some NHL games this season after getting some looks with the Montreal Canadiens over the past few years – but I don’t expect him to be a big part of the team moving forward. Beyond that, I imagine Utah will address that need moving forward, whether it’s by moving guys around or simply waiting for the 2027 draft.

Fast Facts:

NHL GM: Bill Armstrong
Dir. of Amateur Scouting: Darryl Plandowski
Dir. of Player Development: Lee Stempniak
AHL Affiliate: Tucson Roadrunners
ECHL Affiliate: Allen Americans
Recent NHL Graduates: N/A

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Tij Iginla (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

1. Tij Iginla, LW, 20 (Utah Mammoth)

Acquired: Drafted sixth overall, first round in 2024

With 41 goals and 90 points in 48 games, Iginla planted himself firmly into the WHL MVP race last year despite missing significant time. We also saw him dominate shifts at the World Juniors in a way very few players could. Iginla is a stout goal scorer who plays with as much poise and hockey sense as anyone at this level. The highly skilled sniper can shoot from anywhere, and he’s one of the more competitive junior players from a physical and battle-winning standpoint. Iginla is eligible for the AHL, and if Utah doesn’t want to rush him, that’s a good landing spot for him as well. There’s some significant forward depth on this team this season, so it’s an upward battle. But if he doesn’t make Utah out of training camp, I expect him to force his way back there sooner rather than later.

2. Caleb Desnoyers, C, 19 (Utah Mammoth)

Acquired: Drafted fourth overall, first round in 2025

Desnoyers will be gunning for a spot on Utah’s NHL roster – assuming he’s good to go. The 19-year-old was injured in the final minutes of Canada’s last World Junior Summer Showcase game, leaving with a suspected knee injury. When healthy, though, Desnoyers is a fascinating prospect. He has been a powerhouse scoring threat in the QMJHL for a few years now, leading many to believe his next meaningful games will take place in Utah. He’s a strong, 6-foot-2 forward who seems to find scoring lanes out of thin air quite frequently, and he’s a great playmaker, too. After registering six assists in seven games last winter, it would be huge for Canada’s World Junior if they could manage to get Desnoyers back for one last kick at the can this winter. Desnoyers’ eyes, though, are fixated on Salt Lake.

3. Sebastian Cossa, G, 23 (Utah Mammoth)

Acquired: Traded by Detroit Red Wings in 2021

Detroit Red Wings prospect, Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender Sebastian Cossa — *Sebastian Cossa (Nicolas Carrillo/Grand Rapids Griffins)*

The Mammoth desperately needed to address their goaltending situation, and Cossa was a perfect fit. Taken 15th overall in 2021, Cossa quickly established himself as one of the top goaltending prospects in the game. He put up excellent numbers in Grand Rapids last year, which included a career-best 26 wins, five shutouts and a .915 save percentage. But Detroit’s goalie pipeline was crowded, so Utah took advantage, especially with Michael Hrabal still a few years away. Cossa is a 6-foot-6 goaltender who moves well for his size and has an excellent glove hand. He can still allow the odd weak goal, but he’s a confident keeper who just needs the opportunity to prove himself at the next level.

4. Ethan Belchetz, LW, 18 (Michigan State University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 17th overall, first round in 2026

Belchetz’s season ended back in March after he broke his left clavicle, but he bounced back with a great showing with Canada at the World Junior Summer Showcase a few years back. Belchetz has never lacked confidence – and you have to have loads of it when you’re the Tasmanian Devil on skates. He plays with so much power, which allows him to carve through the middle of the ice with little regard for human life. An injury wasn’t the only reason he slipped, though – some scouts worry that he doesn’t have any high-end traits beyond his size. Hopefully that showing at the WJSS helps him go full blast into the new season with MSU.

5. Dmitri Simashev, LHD, 21 (Tucson Roadrunners, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted sixth overall, first round in 2023

Simashev played a third of his season in Utah, and while he didn’t have much to show for, numerically, it was still a solid campaign altogether. Simashev is a big, 6-foot-5 defender who uses his size to dominate the defensive zone without getting himself in trouble. The Russian youngster can move the puck, land big hits and play on the penalty kill. His 35-point campaign in the AHL was incredible given he only had 16 points in 137 KHL games. Simashev clearly seemed a lot more confident with the puck, and there aren’t many glaring flaws in his game right now. I expect him to start the year as a third-pair defenseman, but I can see him pushing his way to the top pair before the season’s over.

6. Michael Hrabal, G, 21 (Tucson Roadrunners, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 38th overall, second round in 2023

*Michael Hrabal (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Hrabal was one of the best goaltenders in college last year, posting a 19-9-1 record with four shutouts and a .937 save percentage. He also made his AHL debut, going 3-1-1 down the stretch, with the highlight actually being a 44-save loss to Colorado. He looks ready for full-time starter duty in Tucson, and I have no doubt he’ll get a few NHL starts, too. The 6-foot-7 goaltender has the size teams crave, and it feels like his once problematic glove hand has really improved over time. Hrabal has been forced to steal his fair share of games throughout his career, and it’s only a matter of time until he’s gunning for Utah’s starter gig.

7. Daniil But, LW, 21 (Tucson Roadrunners, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 12th overall, first round in 2023

Like Simashev, But got his first taste of NHL action last year. The 6-foot-5 winger had three goals and seven points in 29 games, while also just missing out on a point-per-game with the Roadrunners. But is such a fascinating prospect, obviously because of his size, but he also knows how to combine that with a high-end offensive skill set to make himself an absolute force. When he’s at full speed, nobody can slow him down. There were points where it felt like But’s decision-making needed a bit of work against NHL competition, but it’s still very early in his career. I like his play along the boards, but he’s also getting better at using the middle of the ice as well. I expect him to spend a bit of time in the AHL this coming season, but I think it won’t be long until he’s forcing himself into the top middle six.

8. Maveric Lamoureux, RHD, 22 (Tucson Roadrunners, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 29th overall, first round in 2022

Lamoureux played in just five NHL games last year, but upped the stakes in Tucson with a 20-point campaign. That’s nothing to get excited about, but, as always, his game is much better away from the puck. He’s a no-nonsense defender who uses all of his 6-foot-7 frame to knock down just about everyone on the ice, and he’s still quite mobile. You can see the maturity in his game and how he analyzes plays on the rush; he doesn’t try to pinch or play outside his comfort zone. Lamoureux’s game looks destined for a shutdown role, and I hope he can land that sooner rather than later.

9. Max Pšenicka, RHD, 19 (Portland Winterhawks, WHL)

Acquired: Drafted 46th overall, second round in 2025

*Max Psenicka (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Pšenicka is a 6-foot-5 monster who prides himself on his defensive game. He has put up some solid numbers throughout his career, both domestically and internationally, but it feels like his bread and butter will be more about shutting guys down. He made a really good impression in his spot AHL duty to end the season where he proved he could handle the physical rigors of North American pro hockey. Pšenicka will have an opportunity to be a top-four defenseman for Czechia’s World Junior team this year, where he’ll combine his physicality and shut down prowess while eating a ton of minutes. I think we’re looking at a second-pairing defenseman at best but one that should be able to succeed anywhere he’s placed.

10. Adam Valentini, C, 18 (University of Michigan, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 96th overall, third round in 2026

From a pure skill perspective, Valentini is a treat to watch. Valentini is so energetic that he can chase the whole game without losing much pace. He can be a bit of a pain in the ass around the net because you can almost never keep up with his footwork. I like how his game has progressed in college, but he needs to add more muscle. With the puck, though, Valentini brings so much to the table. I’m not worried about his ability to create damage with the puck on his stick. But is he versatile enough? Is he too small? Always bet high on skill, and I’m glad Utah did.

Other Prospects: Gabe Smith, C (20), Owen Allard, C (22), Vojtech Hradec, C (20), Samu Bau, C (22), Tanner Ludtke, C (21), Noel Nordh, LW (21), Julian Lutz, LW (22), Sam Lipkin, LW (23), Artem Prima, LW (18), Stepan Hoch, LW (19), Ilya Fedotov, LW (23), Vadim Moroz, RW (22), Yegor Borikov, RW (20), Miko Matikka, RW (22), Florent Houle, RW (19), Joshua Roy, RW (23), Gregor Biber, LHD (20), Artem Duda, LHD (22), Terrell Goldsmith, LHD (21), Theodor Knights, LHD (18), Ludvig Lafton, LHD (20), Will Skahan, LHD (20), Veeti Vaisanen, LHD (20), Matthew Morden, LHD (22), Tomas Lavoie, RHD (20), Ludvig Johnson, LHD (20), Reko Alanko, RHD (19), Carl Axelsson, G (19), Ivan Tkach-Tkachenko, G (19), Carsen Musser, G (21), Melker Thelin, G (21)

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