Game 3 of the preseason could be a lot of players’ last game in the NHL for a while, with the fourth and final preseason game likely going to bear quite a few resemblances to the lineup the Utah Mammoth will rock in their first game of the season against the Chicago Blackhawks. However, the more and more games a lot of these players play, the more and more difficult it’s been to say definitely who will be cut and who won’t come Monday.
Against the Vegas Golden Knights, a lot of those players who are on the fringe of making the NHL roster stood out as more and more cuts are made daily. Here are some takeaways from Thursday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Golden Knights.
Gone Fishing
Liam O’Brien has never been a goal scorer in the NHL. He’s been a solid fourth-line guy who grinds hard, makes big hits, and fights who will rotate in and out of the lineup. Occasionally, he’ll chip in a goal or two, with his first goal with the Mammoth finally coming last season off a lucky break.
This preseason, O’Brien has looked like the next Alex Ovechkin. Kidding aside, the forward has scored in two straight games, all of a sudden finding a scoring touch.
TUNA TIME! ⏰
2-1, Utah. pic.twitter.com/MCugYaJTyc
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) September 25, 2026
O’Brien’s speed has always been underrated. There are some times when he can beat out defenders. However, his skating looks improved from seasons prior. O’Brien did say during exit interviews that you have to evolve with the game; otherwise, you’ll be passed by. He did not say that with the intention of ignoring his own words.
That’s not to say O’Brien has lost his physical side. He’s delivered some big hits, including a fight in Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. Yet, you can tell this is an improved “Spicy Tuna” from last season.
It comes at the best time possible. A reminder that the Mammoth can only have 23 players on their roster come Monday afternoon. Daniil But has had a stellar preseason and camp, which has put others in jeopardy, including O’Brien. It will be hard to deny But a spot on the roster, which means the Mammoth will need to send someone down, and that will likely be a depth player.
O’Brien has fought hard to make sure his name isn’t one of those being thrown out there to be sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL). With a two-goal preseason, it’s hard to imagine now that he is considered to be the odd man out. Compared to others like Brandon Tanev, who has been invisible, O’Brien deserves a spot on the opening night roster.
Kevin Stenlund has also quietly had a good preseason, including on Thursday night, when he finished with three assists. While it’s highly unlikely he’s even considered for a demotion, the forward has made it concrete proof.
“He had a solid night,” head coach André Tourigny said. “Another good game by Obie as well. Stenny was good on the dots. Offensively made good plays. So happy for him.”
Blueline Biscuits
The Mammoth scored four goals on Thursday. Three of those goals were from defensemen. Two of those were rookie blueliners.
The Mammoth’s blueline was excellent on Thursday. Dmitri Simashev, Zac Jones, Tomas Lavoie, and Artem Duda all stood out despite the loss.
Starting with Simashev, you can just feel the confidence radiating off of him. A stark difference from his first demotion to the Roadrunners. He played 21:44 of ice time, and a lot of that was during long shifts where the Golden Knights attacked well. You could tell he was gassed as well at the end of those shifts, but he played strong.
The defenseman also showed some great physicality throughout the game. A key point was when Tanev got decked by Ivan Barbashev. Instead of just letting his teammate take the fall, Simashev went after Barbashev and threw him to the ice. It shows that he won’t let his teammates get punished without retribution. Good qualities in a teammate and also a leader.
“Sima is playing with a lot of athleticism,” Tourigny said. “He has great skating ability. He needs to keep improving his reads, his positioning, and different stuff. The game in the game, but all the will, the intensity, the desire, and all of it. It’s really good.”
Zac Jones has had a great preseason. He was a sneaky pickup by general manager Bill Armstrong this summer. As a defenseman, Jones was producing at a point-per-game rate in the AHL last season. While production at the NHL level has never been that good for him, he’s been a very solid depth player.
A beauty from Jones!
All tied up, 1-1. pic.twitter.com/xNlmy7ynu0
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) September 25, 2026
Jones scored a goal against the Golden Knights, his first of the preseason. However, he’s been a notable presence in both games he’s played. He probably won’t be in the NHL for most of the season, but he reminds me of a Scott Perunovich replacement. Very solid production and service in the AHL with the capability of playing well at the NHL level.
Zac Jones, New York Rangers (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Tomas Lavoie also scored a goal late in Thursday’s game. While he hasn’t been on the scoresheet otherwise, he’s made a lot of smart defensive plays throughout the preseason. The one that comes to mind was the play he made against the Kings, where he made a nice stick deflection and pass to keep the puck moving inside the Mammoth’s opponents’ zone.
How about that play!?
🚨 Lavoie makes it 4-3! pic.twitter.com/iCp2OQ44lZ
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) September 25, 2026
Again, Lavoie is another guy who likely won’t get any NHL games in but will likely be a big force in Tucson this season.
Finally, Artem Duda. What more can you say about the terrific camp and preseason he’s had? The defenseman got rewarded on Thursday with a goal. After everything he’s been through in the past year, it’s great to see him get an NHL goal even if it’s just the preseason.
Duda extends the lead!
3-1, Utah. pic.twitter.com/TitLxPzxSi
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) September 25, 2026
It feels like just a year ago, Duda wasn’t mentioned a lot like Max Szuber and Maveric Lamoureux were. Now, flash forward to September, and he’s arguably had one of the best months of hockey he’s ever had in his life. Duda needs another year with the Roadrunners. However, he’s shown that he is a part of the Mammoth’s future and will be a very solid defenseman for them one day.
Decisions Incoming
There are a lot of key dates coming up. Saturday will be the fourth and final preseason game for the Mammoth, where the team will likely roll out a lineup that will resemble what they plan to roll out on Oct. 1 against the Blackhawks. It will also be the start of the preseason for the Roadrunners. There is also the doomsday Monday date when the Mammoth will be forced to submit their roster.
With those dates in mind, the Mammoth face a couple of deadlines. A batch of players will likely be sent down Friday to join the Roadrunners for their two preseason games, with a small group who have impressed enough to earn one more preseason game sticking around until Sunday or Monday.
There are a couple of players in question who will likely be in those groups. Jones, Duda, Lavoie, Joshua Roy, Michael Hrabal, Yegor Borikov, Ben McCartney, Gabe Smith, Caleb Desnoyers, and Tij Iginla are the main names.
I’d imagine McCartney, Hrabal, Roy, Smith, Duda, Lavoie, and Jones all get cut next. While all seven of those players have played really solid, there’s no sense in keeping them up for a preseason game they’ll likely not play while they can get time in the Roadrunners’ preseason games. It will also help them get acclimated to their new team and new home.
That leaves Desnoyers, Iginla, and Borikov. Desnoyers and Iginla have looked solid during the preseason. Iginla, especially in the shootout, has been dynamite. Their status as some of the top prospects for the Mammoth will likely keep them around for the final preseason game. However, ultimately, they’ll probably be reassigned to Tucson Saturday night or Sunday afternoon.
Then comes Borikov, who has been the most impressive rookie during training camp. He got another point, assisting on O’Brien’s goal. He has played such an effective game throughout each of his preseason games. While the Roadrunners will likely be the destination for him this season, the Mammoth genuinely might’ve found a very shiny diamond in the rough in Borikov.
The Mammoth will ultimately have a very tough couple of final rounds of cuts. They’ll have to cut a couple of top prospects, a couple of players who have had a really good preseason, and even decide between But and a player on an NHL deal. However, it comes with the job, especially when you have a playoff-bound team like the Mammoth.
“That will be really tough, but that’s part of the job of the player,” Tourigny said. “To make it really tough on us. We’ll have a tough decision tonight, and we’ll have a few more to make after our fourth game.”
With the new preseason rules, players who have played 100 NHL games can only appear in two NHL preseason games. The following players cannot appear in the final preseason game for the Mammoth.
Kailer Yamamoto, O’Brien, Tanev
The Mammoth will play their final game of the preseason on Saturday as they host the Colorado Avalanche at the Delta Center. The Avalanche are 1-1-0 in the preseason and will play the Winnipeg Jets on Friday before playing the Mammoth.
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