The Utah Mammoth have had a strong offseason... However, that doesn't mean there aren't potential problems.
The good news is that Utah shouldn't have to worry about major problems this season. But it's important to identify weak spots. After all, Utah hopes to contend in the 2026-27 season.
The goalie situation isn't guaranteed to get better
The Mammoth wanted to improve in multiple areas heading into the offseason, including the goalie room. Karel Vejmelka was solid, but his backup, Vitek Vanecek, struggled to get wins.
Vejmelka's numbers don't jump off the page, but he did finish with a 38-20-3 record. That ended up being one of the best records in the NHL. The Mammoth did address their goalie situation by also trading for a former first round selection, Sebastian Cossa.
Cossa has been good in the AHL for the Detroit Red Wings and has one career start (6-5 win in a SO). These two can give Utah a nice 1-2 punch and help the Mammoth win games. However, what happens if Vejmelka regresses? Or if Cossa doesn't do well adjusting to the NHL?
These two questions highlight the potential problem in the goalie room. Utah should feel pretty comfortable with what they have, but nothing is set in stone when it comes to goalie play. Utah might even trade for Connor Hellebuyck to ensure nothing drastic occurs. For now, the goalie room is a potential issue.
The defense might struggle to get better
Utah's defense essentially sat right in the middle of the NHL in terms of its 2025-26 performance. That's the definition of mediocre. And mediocre won't do.
Utah has solid defensemen in Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino, and MacKenzie Weegar. However, Weegar struggled in Calgary before being traded to Utah, and it isn't a sure thing for the 33-year-old to improve.
These three alone, combined with some younger guys like Dmitri Simashev and Maveric Lamoureux, should make Utah a bit better, if not a lot better, in 2026-27. Plus, the Mammoth added the former coach of the Vancouver Canucks, Adam Foote, as an assistant coach - a coach who helped the Canucks have a solid defense in the past.
The Mammoth did lose Ian Cole, among others who provided depth. If the youngsters and others struggle, then Utah may not improve much defensively.
The defense has to be better, especially with a goalie like Cossa, who could use all the help he can get. Utah is expected to be just fine here. But this potential crack in Utah's foundation shouldn't be ignored.
Utah is young - there is no guarantee of massive improvement for those youngsters
Logan Cooley, Simashev, Lamoureux, Cossa, Tij Iginla, and more. These are some young guys who Utah needs to see some nice breakouts from.
Utah could stun the NHL with just how good these guys are. But some guys might not improve much. Seeing Cooley be mediocre or Cossa struggle would hurt the Mammoth in 2026-27.
Utah has a rough schedule ahead. The Central Division is absolutely stacked with talent. The division includes the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and Minnesota Wild.
Young guys will be critical to Utah's performance next season. But hey, at least Mammoth fans should be thrilled to see how the young guys do.
Add us as a preferred source on Google