The NHL Draft is Friday, and teams are starting to make moves to adjust their rosters before determining their draft strategy. Most recently, the Philadelphia Flyers acquired Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks. The Flyers also hold the 6th overall pick on Friday. The Utah Mammoth have been rumored as well, but nothing has come to fruition. General Manager Bill Armstrong is looking to make a splash this summer to solidify this roster for a serious playoff push.
In what could be the young franchise's biggest week, the Mammoth will need to identify the wild trade market before making a decision. If Armstrong is going to take a big swing on a player to improve the roster, it may have to be done through a trade rather than free agency.
Free agency is the nice dream to add a top player, if available, but the fact is every team is going to be making their case to a player like Mitch Marner, and Utah could come up short with the heavy hitters that are already Stanley Cup contenders. The Mammoth have just over $20 million to spend this summer, but it would be irresponsible to spend the majority of that salary space on one player.
The draft lottery was a huge victory for the Mammoth as they jumped up to the 4th overall spot. Drafting a player at four would bring another big prospect to an already solid system. But what if this lottery victory created the chance for Armstrong to make that splash?
The trade movement around the league shows that things could move quickly rather than waiting till draft night. Although it would be beneficial for Utah to wait as long as possible to trade that pick and receive the best offer from the most desperate team.
If scoring up front is something that Armstrong would like to improve, some solid, young players have been floating around the rumor mill for several weeks. Buffalo Sabres, J.J. Peterka and Minnesota Wild's Marco Rossi are just two at the top of the wish list. Both players will become restricted free agents this summer and require a new contract. In the case of Peterka, it seems almost certain that he will be in another uniform come October.
It is becoming increasingly more likely that Utah's best shot at a "blockbuster" move this summer would be using the asset of the 4th overall pick to acquire a player that would be a long-term option.