By the number of emails and social media comments I received this past weekend, I clearly touched a nerve with Utah Mammoth fans when I said they were not built for the physicality of playoff hockey.
As I write this article, Utah is poised to make the playoffs for the first time via a wild card, with a likely first-round matchup against either Anaheim or Edmonton. (I’ll break down those matchups later, and I’ll explain why I’d rather see the Mammoth play the Ducks.)
How the Utah Mammoth got here
Utah has had regular-season success by leaning on skill and pace to get wins, without many real physical battles like you’ll see in a playoff series.
Lawson Crouse and Jack McBain both bring some classic power-forward elements; but behind them, the Mammoth are still light on a true, modern power forward who can live in front of the net, punish defensemen below the dots, and keep up with the forwards in transition.
As Utah general manager Bill Armstrong always tells the media: “Our best team is not here yet.”
That’s where Cole Beaudoin and Gabe Smith enter the conversation.
Cole Beaudoin: The engine power forward
At 6-foot-2 and roughly 212 pounds, this 2024 first-round and 24th overall pick checks every physical box you want in a modern power center, who can also play wing. Elite Prospects literally tags him as an “energy forward / heavy hitter / two-way center”.
Statistically, Beaudoin’s take is a clear step from “toolsie” to “dominant.” In four OHL seasons, he’s up to 221 points in 236 games, with a career +42 rating, right under a point per game despite starting his junior career as a shutdown guy.
In 2025-26, while with the Barrie Colts, he exploded for 88 points (33 goals, 55 assists) in 54 games, posting a +40 rating.
What the scouts say about Beaudoin
Elite Prospects’ 2024 draft guide says Beaudoin “eats up the boards, grinds them, spins off opponents, drags the puck out of traffic, and gets to the middle of the ice. There’s not a battle that he can’t win, even at a numbers disadvantage. He drives the net, creates chaos, tips shots, and gets open for tap-ins.”
A 2025 OHL game report for EP: “He’s the best player on the ice, a very impressive defensive player with his motor, anticipation, and battle-winning skills. … He’s an NHL player with the skill set to play a mid-six role.”
How Beaudoin fits Utah’s power forward need
With his faceoff success and defensive reputation, he profiles as a future 3C who can take key defensive zone draws, forecheck like a madman, and be a three-zone horse. He could also fill the gap for the net-front on PP2.
With his tipping ability and knack for finding inside ice, he’s a natural net-front or bumper option, where he could thrive screening, digging rebounds, and keeping plays alive.
Gabe Smith: The net-front specialist with upside
If Beaudoin is the high-motor, three-zone engine, Gabe Smith is the freight train. This 6-foot-4, 225 pound fourth-round pick (No. 103 overall) in the 2024 draft may end up being the biggest steal of that draft year.
He’s a left-shot center who can also play wing and has started to pair his willingness to go to the dirty areas with a legit scoring touch. After modest point totals in his first two seasons in the Q, Smith jumped to 39 points in 52 games in 2024-25, with a +23, and then exploded in 2025-26 with 77 points (34 goals, 43 assists) in 60 games, with a +44.
What scouts say about Smith
Elite Prospects’ 2024 draft guide said Smith “can plant his skates in front of the goalie and resist all attempts to shove him away. He tips shots with surprising skill and wins back any puck that falls in his vicinity. The goalie can’t see past him. He’s extremely physical and not just on the outside of battles, he also has the skill to slip inside opponents and still pucks.”
A 2025 game report for EP: “The evolution of Gabe Smith continues. He looked dynamic this game, his trademark physicality and meanness will make him a pretty special role player in the NHL when he puts it all together.”
How Smith fits Utah’s power forward need
As a fourth-line banger with an upside early on, Smith can be the guy who takes ozone starts, stands in front of the net on PP2 in a pinch, and generally makes life miserable for defensemen trying to clear pucks.
Specialist net front his screening, tipping, and puck recovery skills match the classic net front trigger roll. Putting Clayton Keller or Dylan Guenther on his flanks, and suddenly there is no clear lane for the goalie’s eyes.
He’s played both center and wing in juniors, so even if his skating ability keeps him from being a full-time NHL player, his versatility gives coaches options when injuries hit, or Utah wants to build a crash line that starts in the offensive zone and just mauls people below the dots.
Smith is also currently a teammate of and has great chemistry with Caleb Desnoyers; maybe that helps in some way, too.