Must Watch: Mammoth to Be Aggressive Trade Buyer with Top-4 Target

The Utah Mammoth may emerge as one of the most active teams in the trade market leading up to the NHL trade deadline, according to TSN Insider Chris Johnston. Labeling them as a team worth watching, Johnston suggested the Mammoth might be ready to take a big swing at a specific type of player.

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Despite not yet seeing the trade market fully develop this season, Johnston notes that the Mammoth have made a much stronger start than last year and are not-so quietly positioning themselves for a playoff push.

“They’ve made no secret, internally or externally, about their desire to make the playoffs,” Johnston said during Thursday’s segment. He expects the team to be extremely aggressive in pursuing upgrades and that’s not just limited to depth pieces. He believes Utah could target a higher-end talent to strengthen its roster.

He notes, “The Mammoth bear watching mostly because they have tons of picks, tons of prospects, and the cap room available to get into some higher ticket items; if, say, a top four defenseman were to come available between now and March 6th.”

Johnston is correct in that the Mammoth have a ton of assets and salary cap flexibility. The team reportedly has plenty 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.

Are the Mammoth Going After a Top-Four Defenseman?

They also have some prospects they might be willing to flip along with cap space, giving them the ability to target more expensive, impact players. Johnston believes the team could target a top-four defenseman — although he doesn’t name any players in particular.

So far, the only names that have come up regularly are Rasmus Andersson, Mike Matheson, Connor Murphy, and a couple of others. However, as 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 watch closely.

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