Several clubs emerging from long rebuilds last season were expected to be among the early challengers for first place in their respective divisions.
However, the Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and San Jose Sharks have endured their share of inconsistency throughout October, much to the disappointment of some of their fans.
On the other hand, the Utah Mammoth have thus far performed to expectations, jockeying with the Minnesota Wild for first place in the Central Division. Having made the playoffs last season, the Mammoth want to take the next step toward becoming a potential Stanley Cup contender.
Led by veteran scorers Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz, rising stars Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley, and puck-moving defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, the Mammoth are among the league’s highest-scoring teams. Their 3.62 goals-per-game average ranks sixth overall.
The Mammoth also made some notable offseason additions, signing free agent left winger Anders Lee and acquiring versatile forward Vincent Trocheck. Their experience and leadership have been invaluable during this season.
Defensive issues remain for the Mammoth. Their 3.31 goals-against per game is the league’s 10th-highest, while their penalty-killing (67.4) ranks 29th. Nevertheless, their overall performance in October indicates they’re on the right track as they attempt to establish themselves as a legitimate playoff contender.