No Logan Cooley, No Problem for Mammoth

When Logan Cooley went down with a lower-body injury that was going to keep him out of the lineup for an extended period, the Utah Mammoth were going to have to figure out other ways to win without their star center. After the team lost three straight in the immediate aftermath of Cooley’s injury, it appeared that the Mammoth’s worst fears might be coming true: They couldn’t succeed at a high level if Cooley wasn’t available.

But as the great Lee Corso always used to say: “Not so fast, my friend!”

The Mammoth are now winners of three of their last four, with the latest being a 4-1 road triumph against the Detroit Red Wings — a squad that fancies itself a contender in the Eastern Conference. Each win has seen the Mammoth’s offense perform at its best, even with no Cooley there to help buoy it.

It’s All at Even Strength

Dec 16, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller (9) plays the puck through the neutral zone during the second period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Nobody can dare to call the Mammoth power-play merchants. Of the 15 goals that Utah has scored throughout this hot stretch over the past week, only three have come with the man advantage. It’s not for lack of trying, either — the Mammoth have drawn 14 penalties over their past four games but have seen limited success when trying to capitalize on that fact.

All four of Utah’s goals against the Red Wings on Dec. 17 came at 5-on-5, which was something Mammoth head coach André Tourigny was proud of.

“That’s 4-0 at 5-on-5 against the second team in the Eastern Conference,” Tourigny said after defeating Detroit 4-1. “We’ll take that. … I’m really proud of the effort and character of our guys.”

Team-leading 16th goal of the season for Gunner! pic.twitter.com/2gQMDTc1oe
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) December 18, 2025

It was a total team effort to accumulate those goals, too, which had to make Tourigny proud as well. Clayton Keller opened the scoring early in the second period. That was followed by a Jack McBain goal later in the period to make it 2-0. After Detroit scored on the power play midway through the third, Utah slammed the door shut via two goals late in the frame — one by Dylan Guenther and another by Kevin Stenlund.

Scoring by committee is something the Mammoth are going to have to consistently do without Cooley, who’s one of those players who can take over a game at a moment’s notice. Players like Keller, who was ice-cold prior to his two-point night against Detroit, need to step up in Cooley’s absence. The same can be said for Guenther and Nick Schmaltz, two of the other leading scorers for the Mammoth who have contributed greatly over the past week.

When Is Cooley Expected Back?

Nov 29, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley (92) is helped off the ice by left wing Brandon Tanev (13) and center Clayton Keller (9) after he was kneed by St. Louis Blues right wing Alexey Toropchenko (not pictured) during the third period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Cooley was injured on Dec. 5 in a 4-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks after he slid into the net. A couple of days later, the Mammoth announced the 21-year-old was expected to be out eight weeks, meaning the probable time of his return would be either late January or early February.

That leaves the Mammoth with a sizable amount of time without a player who’s scored 14 goals this season. And while the early returns suggested times might be tough for the young Mammoth, the last week has shown that perhaps doubting Utah might be a fool’s errand for now. That’s not to say the team — which currently sits in fourth place in the Central Division behind the juggernauts that are the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild — doesn’t need Cooley back, but it does mean it might be able to get by in the interim.

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