The Utah Mammoth could emerge as one of the most active teams on the trade market ahead of the NHL trade deadline, according to TSN insider Chris Johnston. Johnston labeled them as a team worth keeping an eye on and suggested the Mammoth might be ready to make a big splash against a specific type of player.
Even though the trade market hasn’t fully developed this season, Johnston notes that the Mammoth are off to a much stronger start than last year and aren’t quietly positioning themselves for a playoff push.
“They have made no secret internally or externally that they want to make the playoffs,” Johnston said during the segment on Thursday. He expects the team to be extremely aggressive in pursuing upgrades and that won’t just be limited to depth pieces. He believes Utah could target higher talent to strengthen its roster.
He notes: “Mammoth is watching mainly because they have a ton of picks, a ton of prospects and the cap room available to get into some higher ticket items; for example, if a top four defenseman were to become available between now and March 6.”
Johnston is right when he says the Mammoth has a lot of assets and salary cap flexibility. The team reportedly has a lot of draft picks, with one in the first round, three in the second round and two in the third round of this year’s NHL Entry Draft.
Will Mammoth go after a top-four defenseman?
They also have some prospects they might be willing to take with them with cap space, giving them the opportunity to target higher-priced, impactful players. Johnston believes the team could target a top-four defender, although he doesn’t name any players in particular.
So far the only names that come up regularly are Rasmus Andersson, Mike Matheson, Connor Murphy and a few others. However, if teams fall out of the playoff mix, that list could expand.
With the trade deadline still months away, Utah’s combination of a promising start, internal ambition and organizational flexibility makes them a team to keep a close eye on.
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