Mammoth Have Some Draft Decisions to Make

The Utah Mammoth will have a much later first-round pick than the team is accustomed to on June 26th. General Manager Bill Armstrong will select at 19th overall unless he makes a trade.

The good news for Utah is that there’s not much of a consensus on the correct order of players outside of the top 10. Teams picking in the 11th-20th overall range are likely to get their preferred player. However, with a strong prospect pool and the Mammoth being a playoff team now, there is a chance the pick is traded.

Expect teams lower in the draft order or teams without a first-round pick to be calling GM Armstrong about the availability of the 19th overall selection in the 2026 NHL draft. There are rumblings that the Detroit Red Wings would love to get back into the first round. They gave their pick (15th overall) to the St. Louis Blues in the Justin Faulk trade.

Mammoth Choices to Make at 2026 NHL Draft

Should the Mammoth decide to keep their pick, here are a few players they might consider with the 19th pick.

Elton Hermansson

Elton Hermansson is a 6’1, 181 Lbs. right-winger from Ornskoldsvik, Sweden. He registered 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points in 38 games with MoDo Hockey, Allsvenskan.

Hermansson might be the most dynamic player potentially available at pick 19, though there’s a good chance he gets selected earlier than that. He has a good shot, is a decent passer, and can stickhandle really well.

Maddox Dagenais

Maddox Dagenais is a 6’4, 196 Lbs. center from Montreal, Quebec. He registered 30 goals and 32 assists for 62 points in 62 games with the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL.

The Mammoth’s 2026 playoff run highlighted the fact that they need to get bigger. That is definitely a top priority of Armstrong’s, and Dagenais is right up that alley.

Tommy Bleyl

Tommy Bleyl is a 6’0, 165 Lbs. Right-shot defenseman from Glenville, New York. He registered 13 goals and 68 assists for 81 points in 63 games for the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL.

The Mammoth have not drafted a defenseman in the first round since 2023. Utah knows Bleyl very well, as he plays alongside Utah prospects Caleb Desnoyers and Gabe Smith on the Moncton Wildcats. As a defenseman with well over a point per game, Bleyl’s offensive upside is a clear selling point. He’s also very good at transporting the puck through the neutral zone.