The Utah Mammoth were at the center of several storylines at the 2025 NHL Combine in Buffalo last week.
Word is that they really like one particular player, but they also made it known to teams that they are willing to move the fourth overall pick in the draft, which they won via the draft lottery in May.
Here’s the full story.
Brady Martin
NHL fans — particularly those based in Utah — have suddenly become familiar with the phrase “farm strong.”
That’s how top prospect Brady Martin described himself in a combine interview, much to the liking of general managers and scouts league-wide.
While most NHL prospects these days grow up with strict training regimens in expensive facilities, Martin’s fitness comes from the daily chores he grew up doing.
He and his siblings are responsible for all kinds of tasks on the family farm, where their livestock count is more than six times the population of Elmira, Ontario, where they live.
Farm strong proved itself at the combine. Among the 90 players at the event, Martin placed 10th in VO2 Max testing and 11th in anaerobic fitness.
Prior to the U18 World Junior Championship in March and April, most outlets (including the NHL’s own Central Scouting) had Martin as a mid-to-late first-round pick. After a strong performance there and another at the combine, most have him in the top 10.
Many believe he’ll go as high as fourth, where the Mammoth have control. Martin fits Utah’s drafting M.O. — and not just because “farm strong” rhymes with Utah GM Bill “Armstrong.”
He’s not as big as some of the Mammoth-sized prospects in the pool, but he compared himself in an interview to a bull, and that’s exactly how he plays. He’s never afraid to plow his way to the front of the net (farm pun intended) and he might be the hardest hitter in the Ontario Hockey League.
The offensive upside is there, too.
At 1.26 points per game this year, Martin is just below former OHL players Rick Nash, Dustin Brown and Mike Richards in their draft years — and he’s exactly equal to Nathan Horton. His shot is elite and he has the vision to make plays and be creative.
He’s not quite at the level of 2014 fourth-overall pick Sam Bennett, who scored 19 more points in the same amount of OHL games in his draft year, but the playing styles suggest that Martin could someday contribute to an NHL team something similar to what the current Conn Smythe Trophy frontrunner does.
It’s also worth noting that Martin plays for the Soo Greyhounds, alongside Mammoth prospects Owen Allard and Noel Nordh. Allard and Nordh are the only NHL-drafted skaters on the Greyhounds’ roster, so it’s safe to assume the Mammoth have watched Martin more than most teams this year.
Martin was one of four players who told reporters Utah took them out to dinner the week of the combine. The others were Michael Misa, Jake O’Brien and James Hagens.
Utah is still considering a fourth pick trade
While the fourth overall pick is a great chance for the Mammoth to debut their new jersey on a grand stage, they haven’t stopped considering their trade options. Besides, Martin isn’t attending the draft in person, anyway — he’s got chores to do.
It remains anyone’s guess what Armstrong would demand in return for the pick, but here are a few scenarios that would makes sense.
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are reportedly telling teams that they’re ready to shake things up roster-wise. Seeing their need for a top right-shot defenseman and the Mammoth’s excess thereof, is there a deal to be made?
They may deem Tage Thompson untouchable, but if the return includes the fourth pick and one of John Marino or Sean Durzi, along with Matias Maccelli and another pick or two, maybe they’d consider letting him go.
If not, Utah might also be interested in Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram, who is also said to be on the trade market — though the fourth overall pick might not be necessary to get him.
New York Islanders
Before the draft lottery, New York Islanders fans didn’t expect to make a pick until 10th overall. Now, they could have two of the first four selection .
Having won the lottery, the Islanders have the first overall pick, with which they’re expected to take either Matthew Schaefer or Misa, though they’re also undoubtedly interested in Hagens.
Hagens was the consensus first pick for some time, but his somewhat mediocre freshman year at Boston College has made many rethink that. Being from Long Island and growing up an Islanders fan, there’s a natural fit there.
If the Islanders are ready to go into rebuild mode, a Mat Barzal swap would make sense for both teams. Barzal is a true top-two center. If the knee injury that barred him from more than half the games last season is in the rearview mirror, he could accelerate the Mammoth’s rebuild timeline significantly.