After winning seven of their last 10 games leading up to the NHL’s trade deadline, the Utah Mammoth found themselves just three points out of a Western Conference wild card playoff spot going into the NHL’s March 7 trade deadline. With Utah being so close to a playoff spot, it sparked some conversation online from fans that general manager Bill Armstrong needed to go out and get his young core some help for the upcoming playoff push.
However, ultimately, Armstrong stuck to his plan of looking toward the future and did not waste any assets in one of the best seller markets we have seen in years. The only move he made was sending retired Shea Weber’s contract, the rights to defenceman Victor Soderstrom and forward Aku Raty to the Chicago Blackhawks. While this move did nothing to help them this season, getting rid of Weber’s contract gives the Mammoth $22.3 million in cap space for this upcoming offseason, more than enough money to target any player on the market.
With only four teams remaining in the Conference Championship round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the picture of the pending free agent class is clearer. Let’s start speculating which superstars could be on their way to Salt Lake City next season and how they would fit with the team.
Mitch Marner – Toronto Maple Leafs
Mitch Marner is the name headlining the upcoming free agent class. After another crushing Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers, it seems unlikely that Marner will be back in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ blue and white next season.
This leaves Marner as the only true superstar in the upcoming pending free agent class. Over the last three seasons, he ranks eighth in the NHL in points and fifth in primary assists. In addition to his elite offensive production, he has received votes to win the Frank J. Selke Trophy in six straight seasons before 2024-25, and likely will again this season.
Related: Pros & Cons to Utah Mammoth Pursuing Mitch Marner in Free Agency
The knock on Marner has been that he does not perform in big games, but this can be attributed mainly to the Maple Leafs’ lack of team success in the playoffs rather than being a Marner-specific problem. He showed this in the 4 Nations Face-Off, where he scored the overtime winner for Team Canada against Sweden and had a primary assist on Connor McDavid’s overtime winner in the gold medal game against the United States.
Marner would give Utah another elite playmaker in their top six. He would excel in Utah’s off-the-rush style of play and would be a massive addition to their power play and penalty kill units. Some may argue Utah’s priority needs to be a center, but elite players in their prime do not become available often. Marner plays in all situations and brings elite offensive production in the regular season.
While Marner has produced at an elite level for years, he still has some limitations as a player. He struggles to create scoring chances in high-danger areas of the ice, which is likely the main reason for his playoff struggles. The Mammoth should be conversing with Marner this summer, and if the price is not too high, Armstrong should jump at the opportunity to get Marner in Salt Lake City.
Nikolaj Ehlers – Winnipeg Jets
Contract talks between the Winnipeg Jets and Nikolaj Ehlers have been quiet this season. The 29-year-old Danish forward was on pace to set a new career-high in points. However, he missed 11 games due to injury, which led him to finish one short of his current career-high of 64 points. Ehlers is due for a new contract and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 if he and the Jets cannot agree to an extension. While it is unclear if Ehlers is likely to make it to the open market or not, the Jets are going to have to get creative in the offseason as Ehlers and Gabriel Vilardi are due contracts that will be priced over $6 million average annual value (AAV).
What is interesting about Ehlers’ situation is that the Jets can afford to bring him back; it is just a matter of whether they want to. After getting bounced in the first round in two straight seasons and another disappointing Game 6 loss to the Dallas Stars this season, the Jets may look to go in a different direction in search of a recipe that works in the playoffs.
With how highly his teammates spoke about Ehlers at the Jets’ season-ending media day, it has become more known how loved he is in that locker room. So it would not be shocking to see the two sides agree on an extension, with Jets’ GM Kevin Cheveldayoff saying he will give Ehlers the “Jet for life” pitch.
However, Ehlers would be an excellent fit in Utah; he would be the final dynamic offensive weapon that can create scoring chances for himself and others. This season, he led the Jets in shots off the rush per 60 minutes and controlled entries per 60 minutes while also ranking second on the Jets in scoring chances off the rush per 60 minutes. This style would mesh perfectly with Utah, which ranked second in the NHL in shots off the rush per 60 minutes.
After Marner, Ehlers will easily be the best player on the market. He has scored 20 or more goals in eight of the 10 seasons he has been in the NHL, the outliers being the 2022-23 season, where he only played 45 games, but still managed 12 goals, and the other being his rookie season. Ehlers is just entering the prime of his career, and with the Mammoth needing another goal scorer, they could be a tough offer to turn down if the Jets allow Ehlers to become an unrestricted free agent.
Brock Boeser – Vancouver Canucks
Rumors were flying around the trade deadline regarding Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser. Ultimately, a deal never went through, as Canucks GM Patrik Allvin claimed that the incoming offers were not good enough to let him go.
Before the deadline, the Canucks seemed dead set on moving the 28-year-old, and without a trade happening, the Canucks intentions of extending him are unclear, even though it had been reported that the Canucks pulled their contract extension offer.
With all of the negativity surrounding the Canucks this season, between their regression as a team and the J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson drama, it wouldn’t come as a shock if Boeser wanted to look for a new home and a big paycheck after scoring 40 goals in 2023-24 and adding another 25 for the Canucks in a season full of turmoil.
On the Utah side, Boeser would bring some much-needed size to this forward group. He is an excellent forechecker and would give Utah another pure goalscoring option along with Dylan Guenther. Between those two and Clayton Keller, Utah will have three guys capable of scoring 30 or more goals. He would also give Utah’s second power-play unit the goal scorer they desperately need, as he has the 12th most power-play goals in the NHL over the last two seasons.
When asked if he thinks he will return to the Canucks, Boeser said, “Honestly, it’s unlikely at this point”. Entering the prime of his career, it is likely that he will be looking for a long-term contract with an organization that is poised to be competitive for seasons to come. With the Mammoth having a young, highly talented core developing at the speed of light, Salt Lake City probably looks like an attractive destination for someone in Boeser’s position, as he could come in and elevate this team and propel them into the playoffs.
The Bottom Line
Armstrong sitting idly by at the deadline signified that the Mammoth’s rebuild, which started in 2020 as the Arizona Coyotes, is over. Then, with this team going on to compete for a Stanley Cup playoff berth late into the season, it only reaffirmed that they are ready to take the next step.
All three players would be excellent options and great fits in Utah. However, there is still plenty of time before free agency opens on July 1, so who knows if any of the three will be available. But one thing is clear: The Mammoth are close to being a playoff team, but need another impact player. Whether it is one of these three from free agency or an offseason trade, as Armstrong pulled off last season to get Mikhail Sergachev, if he can add another goalscorer to the Mammoth roster, this team could be scary going into next season.
- Micro stats via:
- (Player Cards, All Three Zones, May 21st, 2025).
- (2021-Present Stats, All Three Zones, May 21st, 2025).
- (Team Pages, All Three Zones, May 21st, 2025).
