Mammoth Returning to Playoff Picture

The Utah Mammoth are returning to the playoff picture in the Western Conference. As the midway point of the regular season passes, the Mammoth are a single point out of the final Wild Card spot in the West.

The Mammoth are 45 games into their season, in which many expect the second-year franchise to make the postseason. After a strong start, Utah fell off the pace. Now, as the second half of the schedule picks up, things are starting to change once again.

In the middle of a three-game winning streak and winners of four of their last five, the Mammoth are playing drastically better hockey. But what exactly is fueling this sudden improvement?

Vejmelka Locked In

The biggest piece of this winning streak, and where their playoff hopes rest, is on the shoulders of starting goaltender Karel Vejmelka. The 29-year-old Czech puck-stopper has been the team's best player recently, and it's propelling them back into the postseason picture.

He's been the starter during their winning stretch, and he's been excellent. He's allowed five goals over those three contests, not giving up more than two goals in an individual game.

Where he's really thrived in those games is during 5-on-5 play. According to data from NHL EDGE, he's stopped at least 94% of all the shots against him during even strength in the last three games. He stopped 100% of the 5-on-5 shots he faced in a recent win over the New York Rangers.

His performance has raised his season record to 20-11-2, with a goals-against average of 2.63 and a .900 save percentage. He's just six wins away from tying his career-best mark for wins in a season set last year.

Jan 9, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka (70) controls the puck during first period against the St. Louis Blues at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images | Peter Creveling-Imagn Images

Blue Line Thriving

The offensive group in Utah is still trying to find that consistency, but the defense is firing on all cylinders. Top defender Mikhail Sergachev has been fantastic on both sides of the ice. He's collected 31 points in 45 games, the most among Mammoth defenders, while continuing to lead the team in ice time. He and Sean Durzi have played a majority of their even-strength ice time together over the past few games, and they are forming a dynamic tandem.

But the most impressive part of their defense is the pairing of Nate Schmidt and John Marino. The duo balances speed and puck-moving skills with a commitment to two-way defense. They both possess extremely active sticks around their own blue line, making it even more difficult to enter the offensive zone.

According to data from MoneyPuck, the Mammoth are consistently controlling the shots generated with that pairing on the ice. Playing over 490 minutes of ice time together, the Mammoth have produced 514 shots while allowing 355.

With an improved defensive performance and excellent play from their starting netminder, the Mammoth are back in the fold. Improving at the optimal time, the Mammoth are back in the hunt for a playoff spot.

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