TheHockeyNews.com’s exclusive summer splash series continues, as we rate the off-season of every NHL team. In these rankings, we’re looking at each team’s additions, departures, hirings and firings – and from there, we’re slotting them into one of three categories: (1) teams that have improved over the summer, (2) teams that have regressed, and (3) teams that are somewhere in the middle of those two categories.
In today’s file, we’re officially moving into the top tiers of the off-seasons of the final teams – the teams that have clearly gotten better. There’s still another tier after this one – it’s our teams that have greatly improved – but for now, teams that are in this section of our summer splash rankings should be feeling confident they can do good things this year, in one aspect or another.
Today’s file brings us to Team No. 9 – the Utah Mammoth. The Mammoth made some calculated moves to improve their bottom line, and as we’ll explore below, Utah has improved in every prime position. So let’s break down the Mammoth’s summertime moves – moves we believe will help Utah make a sustained push for a Stanley Cup playoff berth next year:
Additions
JJ Peterka (RW), Brandon Tanev (LW), Nate Schmidt (D), Vitek Vanecek
The Breakdown: The Mammoth were the NHL’s 21st-overall team when it came to offense last year, posting a goals-for average of 2.93. So Utah GM Bill Armstrong had the primary task of adding scoring firepower. And that’s exactly what he did by essentially moving out underachieving winger Matias Maccelli in a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and replacing him with former Buffalo Sabres winger JJ Peterka.
That’s a terrific tradeoff for Armstrong, as Peterka has produced 55 goals combined in the past two seasons. The business element of the game also improved for Utah with Peterka signing a five-year, $38.5-million contract that has an average annual salary cap hit of $7.7-million.
Meanwhile, Armstrong also added former Winnipeg Jets winger Brandon Tanev to shore up Utah’s fourth line, and he improved his defense by signing former Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt and goalie Vitek Vanecek as goaltending insurance. And after all that, Armstrong still has $6.6-million in cap space to spend during the year.
Departures
Matias Maccelli (LW), Michael Kesselring (D), Nick Bjugstad (C), Josh Doan (RW), Vladislav Kolyachonok (D), Robert Bortuzzo (D)
The Breakdown: As you can see above, the Mammoth did not part ways with anyone who was a firm part of the long-term future in Utah. Sure, young winger Josh Doan was seen by some as part of the plan for Armstrong, but he had to trade Doan to the Sabres in the Peterka deal. The Mammoth as an organization needed to convert some youngsters into veterans who can help the team win now, and so Doan became expendable.
Otherwise, Maccelli was moved out after he fell way below expectations last year. Kesselring was another part of the Peterka trade, while journeyman pivot Nick Bjugstad left in free agency. These were all role players in one shape or form, so Armstrong was right in moving off some of them to get win-now players like Peterka and Schmidt.
The Bottom Line
Unfortunately for them, the Mammoth play in the highly competitive Central Division. So, making the playoffs was always going to be tough sledding for Utah, especially given that Central powerhouses in Dallas, Colorado and Winnipeg all figure to be playoff locks next year.
That said, the Mammoth had some obvious needs, and Armstrong addressed all of them. In Peterka, Utah landed someone who should easily break the 30-goal mark this coming year. In Schmidt, the Mammoth got a recent Cup-winner who firms up their final pairing. And in Vanecek, Utah got a third goalie who can step in if injuries or underwhelming performances in net play a factor in the Mammoth’s standings position.
In any case, we think Armstrong has done stellar work this off-season. The Mammoth will be looking to push past a Central team like the Minnesota Wild and sneak into that fourth spot (and a playoff berth) next year, and we can definitely see it working out for them.
Utah now has the depth, skill and desire to be a playoff team. They were an above-average group before this off-season played out, and now, with training camp not so far off, Mammoth fans have every right to be excited about this team. They’re going to need discipline and focus, but Utah has what it takes to be a wild-card team.
Summer Splash Rankings
9. Utah Mammoth
10. New York Rangers
13. St. Louis Blues
16. Ottawa Senators
17. Boston Bruins
18. Edmonton Oilers
19. Minnesota Wild
20. Seattle Kraken
27. Dallas Stars
28. Calgary Flames
30. Winnipeg Jets
32. Buffalo Sabres
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