The first round of the NHL Draft is set to take place on Friday, June 26th, and it will be an important moment in many NHL teams' history. Many major names will change the future of franchises, including potentially the Utah Mammoth franchise. For the first time in a while, Utah will not get a high pick, with the 19th overall selection in this season's first round. However, that doesn't mean they can't draft an amazing talent, and there is one American who remains to be a very interesting player they can draft.
Tommy Bleyl may be a very good selection
Standing at just 5'11'' and just 165 lbs, defenseman Tommy Bleyl would most certainly not fit the bill of a big or imposing defender. Many other defenders may be well above 6'3'' and weigh more than just 165 lbs, but that doesn't take everything away from the 18-year-old Bleyl. Bleyl is a fast defenseman who has an elite ability to score. Bleyl, while playing for the Moncton Wildcats, who, by the way, are led by their captain Caleb Desnoyers, who was selected 4th overall in 2025 by the Mammoth, scored a total of 81 points this season.
In 63 games this season in the QJMHL, Bleyl scored 13 goals and added an impressive 68 assists, highlighting his scoring ability. To put it simply, Bleyl just isn't going to be a rough defender who is super good at keeping the other team off the board, but his offense is elite. If the Mammoth were to draft Bleyl, it would be purely to try to draft a defender who can be a quarterback in a way.
Bleyl is very similar to Canadians superstar defender
A 22-year-old defender of the Montreal Canadians, Lane Hutson, is one player who can be compared to Bleyl. Hutson is only 5'9'' and is just 162 lbs, meaning he is a smaller defender meant to add offensive value to a team. Hutson scored 12 goals and added 66 assists in the 2025-26 season, serving as a bit of a quarterback for the Canadians' offense. A defender like Hutson or Bleyl is very useful for skating around the offensive zone and finding or creating scoring opportunities, making this kind of defender very valuable. If the Mammoth want a defender like this, then it would make a ton of sense to draft the smaller, but more dangerous defender in Bleyl.
Even though the 19th overall selection isn't like the 1st, 2nd, or even 5th, it can still be very useful. Many stars can be drafted later in the first round, and maybe even after the first round. There are many players who could fit well with Utah, but Bleyl ranks among the most interesting available.
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