The Utah Mammoth did make a pretty big move before the trade deadline, trading for a former superstar defender, MacKenzie Weegar. However, Utah didn't go all the way in, leaving perhaps some to be desired. Utah would lose in the first round of the 2026 playoffs to the Vegas Golden Knights, 4-2. However, even without winning or getting deep into the postseason, Utah made a really good decision by not going all the way in.
Utah made a good decision by not trading away their top prospects
The Mammoth were rumored to be going after other massive stars, with one prime example being Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues. The Blues GM, Doug Armstrong, was known to sell very high, even for players that may not be all that great. Thomas was an example of a player who could propel a good team deeper into the playoffs. However, in order to trade for Thomas, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Mammoth weren't just going to have to give up anything. The Blues wanted one of two mega prospects, Caleb Desnoyers or Tij Iginla. Both are future superstars and are among the best prospects in the NHL right now. Trading either would've been quite a mistake by Bill Armstrong, GM of Utah.
Desnoyers was selected 4th overall in the 2025 NHL draft and has since become a highly touted center prospect. The 19-year-old is expected to reach the NHL soon and is a very hard worker. Meanwhile, Iginla was selected 6th overall in the 2024 NHL draft, and has become an even bigger prospect than Desnoyers. Iginla scored 41 goals and 90 points in only 48 games in the WHL, highlighting his enormous offensive potential for Utah. Trading either would've been a bit of a steal for St. Louis, as the ceiling for both prospects is very high.
Ultimately, if Utah decided to jump all in at the deadline, they may have been able to get past the VGK, who, of course, actually made the Stanley Cup. However, if the Mammoth didn't win the Stanley Cup last season and they traded either of their mega-prospects, it would've been a massive mistake. Both prospects can definitely be the next superstars of the Mammoth. It was a good decision by the front office to decide to pass on players like Thomas, that is for sure.
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