The Utah Mammoth are good at providing fantasy teams with one thing, and that’s scoring. Every forward in their top six from last season has returned, and there is a good chance that all of them are going to improve on last season’s stats. Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong also added a 68-point scorer in JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres.
I think this young Mammoth team will surprise a few people with how talented a group they are, despite their age. Armstrong and his management group have built a team that is suited for the current NHL, which emphasizes speed and skill. However, the Mammoth lacks size in its top six, which limits the team’s net front presence. They could benefit from having a bigger player parked in front of the opposition’s net, especially on the power play.
The Mammoth are built with a more traditional lineup with two talented scoring lines and a bottom six that has size and plays more physically. It will be up to head coach Andre Tourigny to find the right balance that gives the Mammoth the best chance to win on a consistent basis. Their regular-season production should not be a concern, which is why their players are good for fantasy leagues.
Utah Mammoth Fantasy Outlook
It will not be a surprise if Clayton Keller leads the Mammoth again with 90-point potential. I can also see players such as Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, JJ Peterka, and Nick Schmaltz all registering at least 60 points. Barrett Hayton, who has yet to register 50 points in a season, has a real good opportunity to improve his stats while playing with the other five mentioned above.
Mikhail Sergachev registered 15 goals and 38 assists for 53 points last season. He will once again be the quarterback for the Mammoth’s top power play unit, as well as play a ton of minutes every night. Expect Sergachev to also push for 60 points this season, especially if the Mammoth’s power play improves upon last season.
The Mammoth’s goaltending could make or break their season. With Karel Vejmelka as the likely starter, it is unclear how he will respond to playing 60 or more games this season. Even though he’s coming off a strong season with a 26-22-8 record in 58 games, his play was inconsistent. He’ll need to be better if the Mammoth are to become a legitimate playoff team.
