Utah Mammoth complete first season under new ownership

SALT LAKE CITY (AP).  The newly monikered Utah Mammoth (formerly the Utah Hockey Club, formerly the Arizona Coyotes) completed their first season under the direction of new owner/GM Gary Brown.  The team, which missed the playoffs the previous season, catapulted into the playoffs with an impressive 106 pts. and won its first round against the heavily favored St. Louis Blues.

The second round wasn't as kind as the Mammoth gave it their all against Dallas but fell short, four games to two.  

Next season the Mammoth are loaded and ready to replay with a mostly intact roster.  Tage Thompson will lead the team on offense forming a potent one-two scoring combination with sniper Alex DeBrincat while the ever-improving K'Andre Miller will direct play on the blueline with partner Brett Pesce.  The goaltending will continue to be an even split between Charlie Lindgren and Elvis Merzlikins, who some observers gave up for dead.

When asked about the off-season, GM Brown told reporters that "We are open to making trades, not for the sake of making trades, but only if it improves our team."  As for the entry draft, Brown admitted that the first round selection, which should be in the 25-28 range, is subject to trading down if it yields the team a top ten selection in the second round and a top ten selection in the third round.  Brown:  "My predecesor left me with a solid roster and a so-so farm system, but in doing so he traded away all of the draft picks.  It's always been my policy to rebuild our organization from within, through the draft.  Our scouts tell us this will be a strong draft."

Asked about the future, Brown brought up the names of Connor McMichael and Jake Neighbours as having high expectations for being team leaders next season and beyond.  There is also promising RFA defenseman Mattias Samuelsson who is presently negotiating for a five year contract to kick in next season.  Brown also mentioned Hendrix Lapierre and Justin Hryckowian as "locks" to make the pro team roster next year while promising forward Matthew Seminoff "will get a long look" in training camp.  As for goaltending, both Drew Commesso and Remi Poirier are almost certain to be the team's goaltending tandem in the years to follow.