The Utah Mammoth Have Made Improvements

The Utah Mammoth have made decent improvements this summer. However, it doesn’t sound like they’re finished yet.

On the latest episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas discussed how the Mammoth addressed their need to add more meat into their lineup. Something that will help them become a team that is harder to play against. However, with $6.66 million in available salary cap space, the Mammoth are likely not finished adding to their roster.

The additions of Brandon Tanev, Jack McBain, and Nate Schmidt make the Mammoth a more physical team. GM Bill Armstrong is working around the clock to make the Mammoth hard to play against, but also competitive. Armstrong addressed his need for offense with the trade for JJ Peterka. Adding Peterka to a lineup that includes Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, Nick Schmaltz, and Dylan Guenther will make the Mammoth a bigger threat in the West.

Additional Roster Options

Regarding the team still looking to add more meat-and-potatoes type players, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Mammoth are interested in free agents Luke Kunin, Nathan Bastian, and Brett Leason. Each of these three players can offer the Mammoth a player who will pick up anywhere between 10-20 points, while also playing a more physical style. These are players who you love on your team because you don’t have to play against them. Adding one of them to the bottom six with Tanev and McBain would make the Mammoth a much tougher opponent.

Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong began the process of giving this team a new identity while they were still the Arizona Coyotes. Since the move to Utah last summer, he’s been working even harder. I think he’s made some real strides this summer in making the newly named Mammoth a playoff contender. They now have a good mix of offensive ability mixed with gritty workhorses. Scoring goals shouldn’t be a problem, and they now have the players needed to make it harder to be scored against.

Another approach that Armstrong might take is to wait until around American Thanksgiving in November. This is usually the time when teams have assessed their rosters. It’s also the time when teams are beginning to think about any changes that need to be made. Armstrong could hold on to his $6.66 million and use it to help facilitate a trade. He made a big splash with the Peterka trade, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he waits and plays his cards at an appropriate time.