As it currently stands, the Utah Mammoth have 22 one-way contracts. The maximum roster size is 23, and that 23rd spot will almost certainly be occupied by Dmitri Simashev.
Unless there are injuries (which is a strong possibility), there’s a high likelihood that none of Tij Iginla, Caleb Desnoyers, Daniil But and Maveric Lamoureux make the team out of camp.
That could be the best-possible situation for the former two, but the latter two are approaching critical points in their respective careers.
Iginla and Desnoyers are coming from major junior, where they dominated the last few seasons against fellow teenagers. The jump from those leagues to the NHL is significant, so it may be best for them to get some AHL experience — where they’ll play big minutes against grown men — before attempting the NHL level.
It’s often said that there’s no such thing as a prospect who spent too much time in the AHL, but there are plenty who didn’t spend enough time there. If someone isn’t ready to make an impact in the NHL, don’t put him there.
Lamoureux, on the other hand, has had plenty of time in the AHL and could be a legitimate option to play significant NHL hockey this season.
He’s huge. He’s physical. He’s looked decent in the 20 NHL games he’s played over the last two seasons. His offense at the AHL level doesn’t scream “NHL star,” but there’s still plenty of opportunity to prove himself as a good middle-pairing defenseman — perhaps a Niko Mikkola type?
Lamoureux is getting to a make-or-break point, but he’s fortunate in the sense that there’s a roster spot to be won. Andrew Peeke and Nick DeSimone are both right-shot sixth/seventh defensemen who can step aside if need be. When injuries inevitably strike, “MavLam” will almost certainly be the first call-up.
But is in a similar situation.
The young forward played great in the minors last season — 38 points in 41 games as a rookie. He scored a lot less in the NHL, but he had ample, ample scoring chances.
Among Mammoth forwards in 2025-26, according to data from MoneyPuck, But ranked:
- First in high-danger shot attempts per minute
- First in on-ice high-danger shot attempts per minute (“on-ice” referring to his line as a whole when he’s on the ice)
- Second in high-danger expected goals per minute
- Fifth in shot attempts per minute
- Sixth in on-ice expected goals per minute
At the same time, his shooting percentage was third-last among forwards on the team and he was fifth-last in goals above expected.
Essentially, But is the most efficient Mammoth forward in generating scoring chances. He just has a hard time finishing them.
Puck luck can fluctuate wildly from season to season, especially if they were the product of nerves. If but can start capitalizing consistently on his chances, the Mammoth could have another legitimate top-six forward on their hands — and with his size, it’s not out of the question that he becomes a Tage Thompson type.
Vying for those same roster spots are a number of veterans, some of whom didn’t accomplish much last season.
Brandon Tanev was almost as unlucky as But, having all three of his would-be goals either overturned or credited to someone else after review. Even if they had all stood, though, three goals would have been Tanev’s worst offensive output since his rookie season, 2016-17.
He didn’t do much off the ice, either. His famous annual headshot led fans to assume he’d be as big a character as Nate Schmidt or Liam O’Brien, but he was hardly ever available for locker room interviews and was thus featured in very little content. The fans didn’t get to know him.
O’Brien occupies a spot as well. While he’s still a fan favorite, there’s a legitimate question as to whether it’s in the team’s best interest for him to be on the roster. After all, the Mammoth have plenty of guys who can fight when need be.
If Tanev, O’Brien or another veteran is to miss the cut, he would have to clear waivers before becoming eligible to play in the AHL. A maximum of $1.225 million of the player’s salary can be discounted from the cap when sending someone down, though the player still gets paid his full amount.
Training camp will be as competitive as ever, and that’s exactly the way management wants it.
“Players aren’t stupid. They know when they get on the ice with other good players, and they can sense right away that, ‘Hey, this guy’s a real good player. He’s going to be pushing for my job,’” said Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong on Friday.
“I think that’s the one of the greatest strengths in our organization, is ... the depth that we have at all different positions from young players coming in to veteran players and guys in the middle that are coming out of the American League looking for jobs. It makes your organization hungry.”
