SALT LAKE CITY – As the Utah Mammoth continue to navigate their second season in the NHL, something truly special has taken shape in the state they now call home.
Despite being the newest market in the National Hockey League, a Mammoth transformation has taken place across the Wasatch front as Utahns have caught the hockey fever.
The Utah Mammoth fanbase grows each day as hockey resonates with Utahns
Before Smith Entertainment Group acquired its NHL team in the spring of 2024, hockey was a relatively niche sport in the state of Utah.
As someone who began playing locally shortly after the 2002 Winter Olympics, the community was always strong but understandably small.
Not to say that it was non-existent, but hockey was certainly uncommon as sports like basketball and football dominated the scene.
While recreational programs, travel teams and Utah high school clubs have existed for many years, inviting friends to games as a kid was often met with the same confused response of, “We have a hockey team?”
Sharing in that sentiment is Park City Ice Miners U14 coach and former player Calvin Asch, who has noticed a change in people’s responses towards hockey since the Mammoth came to town.
“When I was in high school and someone asked what sport you played, if you said hockey, people would be like, ‘There’s hockey?’ Whereas now, there’s a lot fewer generic answers and more of, ‘I’m trying to get into to hockey. What would be the best way?’” Asch explained.
As Asch pointed out, a drastic transformation has taken place in Utah since the NHL arrived in Salt Lake City.
While the growth of the game itself still has a long way to go, a sleeping giant of a fanbase has not only been unleashed but is quickly spreading across the state.
Utah on a random Wednesday night in the middle of March: pic.twitter.com/2GRtq5RjyT
— Cap’n Cook 🦣 (@JazzePinkman) March 13, 2025
Take a stroll down John Stockton Drive on any given game night and you’ll witness the streets lined with Mammoth sweaters, marching towards their barn.
One year ago today, #UtahHC became a reality.
Thank you, fans, for all the love and support you’ve shown to us so far. 🩵 pic.twitter.com/ljrraXAKio
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) April 18, 2025
But it’s not just the arena that’s overflowing with Mammoth support, as the movement has spread to neighborhoods, communities, stores, restaurants, and businesses throughout Utah.
“It’s amazing,” General Manager Bill Armstrong explained. “I live on a street with people that are just super excited about hockey, and you can feel the energy. I walk through the park with the dogs, and you see the guy with the Mammoth sweatshirt on. It’s just great.”
“I drive into the games, I get about eight, nine blocks out and I can just see the jerseys on the sidewalks starting to walk towards the rink. It gives me goosebumps…everybody is just so in love with hockey and our team. You couldn’t write a movie script that was better.”
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the new fanbase, the speed by which it’s grown and the impact it’s had on so many new hockey fans that even Owner Ryan Smith has taken note of.
“Just bringing something nice to Utah….watching the impact,” Ryan Smith explained to KSL Sports in regard to what he’s enjoyed most about the NHL coming to Utah.
“The other day I was driving home after the game and watching just people everywhere in jerseys and thinking, eighteen months ago, they wouldn’t have been here today.”
In addition to now having a team to cheer for 82 nights a year; the Mammoth have been the great unifier and brought countless people together.
From vegetable heads to sequin suit jackets and even full mammoth suits, the “clubbers” have become a wagon that everyone in Utah is jumping on.
Biz has surprised the boys with the Utah Mammoth and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith 🦣🎶https://t.co/h03QeJu8np pic.twitter.com/wPH2l1Vre9
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) October 27, 2025
“Before Utah had an NHL team, I was a super casual sports fan,” Mammoth fan Ashley Brewer said. “Now with the Mammoth here, I’ve developed a passion for hockey…It’s given me something to look forward to which has been great when I’m feeling down.”
“Most importantly, having hockey so close has expanded my social circle. I’ve always been shy and quiet and had a harder time making friends. I’ve made so many friends through supporting the team on social media and that has in turn led to real life relationships that have become very dear to me.”
Nothing better than a W to top off seeing all your friends after a long offseason! https://t.co/7Gjdpo6v7s pic.twitter.com/ogmuGEKpQp
— Salty Ice Insiders🏒 (@saltingtheiceUT) October 16, 2025
The Mammoth movement is simply undeniable.
Regardless of where Utahns come from, what their interests are, or which college football team they support, all are united when they put on the Mammoth colors and enter the rink inside Delta Center.
“It’s this unifying thing for our family, for neighborhoods and communities,” Mammoth Owner Ashley Smith told KSL Sports. “Forty more nights a year of something great to be at.”
“There’s so much hard in the world, there’s so much hard in our lives. I love forty more nights here in Utah where people are coming together, connecting with each other, they’re cheering, they’re getting angry, whatever they’re doing it’s together.”
The future of youth hockey in Utah is bright with the Mammoth leading the way
As hockey fever reaches every corner of the beehive state, youth hockey is inevitably on the rise as more kids are introduced to the NHL.
Since the Mammoth arrived last spring, SEG reports a total of 12,000 youth players and counting within their programs (ice and street hockey).
Additionally, with plans to integrate hockey into Utah’s schools (PE takeovers, assemblies, and field trips) while adding youth leagues to the new practice facility in Sandy and facilitating the construction of future rinks through SEG’s initiative, the hope is to triple that number and mirror the success of Jr. Jazz (nearing 100,000 kids) as much as possible.
Related: Ryan Smith, SEG Plans To Build Up To 20 New Ice Rinks Across Utah
“We’re in about ten pilot programs here with the initiative we launched to build more ice,” Ryan Smith explained. “It was really important to get our practice facility done first so that we could show, not just tell what it looks like.”
“To be able to create room for the youth to come in [to the practice facility]. There are ten locker rooms for youth…the community is really going to be able to come in there, hopefully by December one.”
But it’s not just the Mammoth’s own programming that’s witnessed an uptick.
Throughout many parts of Utah, the NHL’s rising tide is indeed lifting all boats as previously established programs are also seeing growth.
According to Coach Asch and his fellow assistant AJ DeHerrera, both their own club and organizations across the Salt Lake Valley are reporting greater numbers.
“In Park City we recently added a U16 A team, a U14 B team and a U12 B team. So, a minimum of three teams we added to our beginner league…there’s just so many kids at this B level,” Asch explained.
“Every ice rink has a Learn to Skate Program and pretty much everyone has been selling out. In Park City and throughout the Salt Lake Valley, it sells out,” DeHerrera added.
As of right now though, the biggest challenge in terms of feeding the growth is simply more ice time.
However, once the practice facility opens to the public and the aforementioned pilot programs reach construction phases, youth hockey will have an opportunity to erupt across Utah.
“You have to look at the non-traditional hockey markets that have NHL teams and see how they’re doing,” Asch said. “The Tampa Bay area has a really strong youth hockey scene. Vegas also has a really strong youth hockey scene that’s exploded since the Knights arrived.”
“The interest just explodes. Right now, at the U14 level, they’re four teams in Utah that at are AA tier two and only one AAA team. It’s going to take a while, but I would not be shocked if ten years from now, we’re looking at six, seven or even eight AA teams and two AAA teams. When you have that kind of growth in the state, it snowballs.”
But why hockey? Why is this significant for the youth in our state?
Well, because hockey is unlike any other professional sport.
It’s a different culture, community, and prioritizes values that all can appreciate.
It’s more about ‘we’ instead of ‘me’ and emphasizes the group rather than self-absorbed individuals.
Take Clayton Keller’s performance last season against the Winnipeg Jets for example.
After taking a puck above his eye and receiving 12 stitches in the locker room, Utah’s captain returned to the ice, registered two points and led his team to victory.
What other sport demonstrates that kind of resilience and group-first mentality?
Clayton Keller:
“I’m feeling great.”
“I was kinda sitting there for like 20 minutes just laying down on my back. When I came back out I just tried to get my legs into it & be simple.”
He received 12 stitches. pic.twitter.com/dqZdnee2nh
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 21, 2025
“The values of hockey, the Olympics…and these players, that’s just what we want for our youth. That’s what I want for my children, for sure,” Ashley Smith told KSL Sports.
“The youth sport opportunity is very close to my heart because the Jazz has been such a great example of using basketball as a good vehicle for children and youth to grow.”
Overall, these players simply care about the community and always have.
Whether they’re tossing warm-up pucks over the boards before a game, donating their extra time to children’s hospitals, or creating a core memory for a young fan who idolizes them, these guys genuinely care and want to give back.
“When Clayton Keller was growing up, he was on the ice in St. Louis. Logan was part of the Jr. Penguins program. That is a big part of what we’re doing. The great part about it is the guys are waiting for it. They don’t forget where they came from,” Ryan Smith said.
Crouser making sure fans are taken care of 🩵 pic.twitter.com/KHgyklbmJp
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) November 10, 2025
Porter was so excited to show Cooley the drawing he made of the two of them. He’s looked up to Cooley since the team moved here and always says he wants to be just like him. When he got the chance to go behind the table, he ran straight over and jumped on Cooley’s lap. Cooley was… pic.twitter.com/lp9qRKr2Cz
— Jackie J. (@nacholikespuck) October 4, 2025
What does the future hold for hockey and the NHL in Utah?
To understand where you’re going, you first have to understand where you came from.
As Ryan Smith explained, the NHL to Utah was initially born because of a simple question.
After rumors began circulating that SEG was potentially interested in the Pittsburgh Penguins several years ago, friend and now current President of Hockey Operations for the Utah Mammoth Chris Armstrong gave Smith a phone call.
“Chris Armstrong called and said, ‘Hey, I heard SEG is interested in buying the Pittsburgh Penguins,’” Smith told KSL Sports.
“I was like, we’re not doing that.”
“Then he called back and he’s like, ‘Why don’t you have a hockey team in Utah? Every major Olympic sport trains there, culturally it would do well, the mountains, it’s very similar to a lot of the place’s players play in Canada. I think it would go really well. So, let’s meet.’”
“[Then] Me and Danny Ainge went and sat down with Gary Bettman at dinner when we were in New York and it went really well. It was just timing.”
Unsurprisingly, Armstrong was right on.
From day one, hockey has been a huge hit as it’s resonated with nearly every Utahn whose given it a chance since the eventual relocation from Arizona.
But what’s the goal?
What does the future hold for the NHL and hockey in our state?
Collective growth.
Not just in regard to the team or youth programs, but growth for the state.
More opportunities to come together, grow the game, improve the economy, develop infrastructure and put Utah on the map with worldwide exposure on hockey’s biggest stage.
“This is something Utahns can be proud of,” Smith told KSL Sports. “It feels good to win and we’re winning. I see a world where both the Jazz and Mammoth have a pretty good run. That’s going to be fun.”
“It’s the ultimate goal. That’s what we want to do. You say hey, how great is it bringing it here? We want a Stanley Cup here and we want an NBA Championship here…That’s what we’re doing this for.”
As SEG has demonstrated over the last 18 months, the Mammoth will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals.
After orchestrating a remarkable relocation process, everything is now in place to become a championship organization and fully transform Utah into a premier hockey market.
“People wanted to do something for Utah. If you look at the exposure of what hockey has brought to Utah. I have so many stories of people coming to Utah or Utahns are out there, and the discussion becomes hockey,” Ryan Smith said.
“I don’t think we’ll truly understand that impact because this is here forever now. This is not going anywhere.”
What’s next for the Utah Mammoth?
The Utah Mammoth will host the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. MT.
The game will be available on Mammoth+.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Mammoth insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. You can hear Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
Take us with you, wherever you go.
