Dylan Guenther and the Utah Mammoth played competitive hockey in 2024-25. They missed out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But they certainly showed some major progress in their debut season in Utah. Guenther, in particular, broke out with 27 goals and 60 points in 2024-25.
It’s still early in the 2025-26 campaign. However, the Mammoth are one of the biggest surprises so far. Utah defeated the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday night. They now have seven straight wins, and are now 8-2-0 on the young season.
Most important of all at this time is Utah’s standing in the Western Conference. They lead the entire conference, and are likely to become the first West team to 10 wins this year. This is a fantastic start for a young team looking to endear itself to its still somewhat new surroundings.
Guenther spoke about his team’s success following Sunday’s win. He credited it to a change in the locker room. The Mammoth have approached this season with a new mindset.
“I think one at a time, honestly. We’re not getting too high,” Guenther said, via NHL.com. “I think you can sense it in the room. In the past we were a little more emotional in a different way. I think we’re a little more on an even keel this year.”
Dylan Guenther Reacts to Taking Down Jets
Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesDylan Guenther and the Utah Mammoth are looking like a potential playoff contender early on.
In some ways, Sunday’s game against the Jets was a bit of a litmus test for Utah. Winnipeg was the regular season’s gold standard in 2024-25. They won the President’s Trophy as the best team in the regular season.
Winnipeg lost important pieces this offseason, such as Nikolaj Ehlers. However, they entered this game with a 6-2-0 record. And you can’t overlook the reigning Hart Trophy winner, Connor Hellebuyck, in goal.
This remaisna fantastic team. The Jets are a team that Utah will need to contend with if they want to be among the best in the West. Winning this game, especially after beating the Minnesota Wild the night before, is important for the Mammoth.
“It’s huge. They’re kind of an in-your-face team, a little bit heavier than us, and we’re on a back-to-back,” Guenther said, via NHL.com. “So, I think just adapting, just managing the game a little bit better and not giving them anything, and then just capitalizing when we get our opportunities.”
Can Mammoth Continue Their Winning Ways?
Outside of a perfect 10-0-0 start, there isn’t a better way Utah could have envisioned this going. The Mammoth are picking up early-season points. And this is going to take some pressure off later in the season if they can keep this going.
However, “if” is the operative word in that sentence. Utah has to be able to continue its momentum after these first 10 games. A collapse would send them right back to the middle of the pack, and that’s what they have been trying to avoid for a while.
A look at their next 10 games would indicate a chance to continue their winning ways. Utah’s toughest opponent will be the Montreal Canadiens, who are 7-3-0 to this point, on November 8th. However, there are some good teams on less-than-ideal starts who could pull it together against the Mammoth.
Utah is looking to take this young core and make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s too early to crown them Kings of the West. But their play so far certainly sets them up for success later in the season.
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