SALT LAKE CITY – Just past the midway point of the NHL season, Utah Mammoth General Manager Bill Armstrong sat down with KSL Sports to discuss the current state of the team, the possibility of playoffs, Logan Cooley’s status, prospect development and more.
The following is a list of questions from Utah Mammoth Insider Cole Bagley with answers from Bill Armstrong:
Utah Mammoth General Manager Bill Armstrong addresses the current state of the team
Q: Through 44 games the Utah Mammoth currently have 45 points and are fourth in the Western wild card race. How pleased are you with how the season has gone to this point?
Bill Armstrong: “Well, I’m excited. We know it’s been a unique situation with the condensed schedule, and it’s been a real busy time for us. We’ve played the most road games in the National Hockey League. So, it’s been a little bit different. I like how the teams responded even with injuries to Logan Cooley, one of our best players.”
“I really like the way that our team has approached it by attacking. I’m happy where we’re at. Obviously, you’re not completely satisfied. You’re always trying to take that next step and I think our team has been in battle mode from the get-go. So, as we said last year, we wanted to play meaningful games and this year we wanted to play meaningful games and win. But I like the way that our group is responding.”
Q: Are the growing pains from this season a surprise or expected in year five of a rebuild?
Bill Armstrong: “A little bit of the growing pains that you go through, I think you expect because a lot of your younger players, the Peterka’s, the Cooley’s and the Gunther’s are all impact players. So, they’re in key situations and sometimes there’s some maturity that has to happen.”
“You kind of expect some ups and downs to happen, some lulls in the season and you’re never prepared for injuries. But we try to get prepared for the growing pains that would come with the number of games we play back-to-back on the road and with the condensed schedule. It’s been a challenge, but I think it’ll make us tougher in the end.”
Q: How can the Utah Mammoth start consistently stringing together wins during the back half of the season?
Bill Armstrong: “Yeah, it’s important. We’ve got a pretty good home stand here. So, there’s things that need to occur for us to be successful in those games. It really comes down to playing great defense and trying to keep two goals or less. We seem to be able to find that way to score two goals. It’s can we score the third goal? And when that third goal is scored, when you’ve seen that lately from Michael Carcone or Daniil But last night, it’s a world of difference for us. It gives us a little bit of breathing room. Allows us to close out and win the game.”
Goal changed to But with assists from McBain and Tanev. https://t.co/RQq0JflXC4
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 8, 2026
“So that’s one thing that we can make huge strides with is still creating that third goal. Sometimes you see it when we have multiple power plays in the game. We’ve got to find that way, as I say, to put the knife in them. Finish it off and get it done.”
“The last thing is when your goaltender goes, when Veggie is rocking and rolling in net, we’re usually on the right side of the pile and getting the win. So, goaltending is always huge this time of the year and all the way down the stretch.”
Stopped by Vejmelka! pic.twitter.com/T6P9ATDzDp
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 8, 2026
Q: Coach Tourigny said that this next stretch of home games will be a chance to prove who you want to be. Who does this team want to be?
Bill Armstrong: “A team that prides itself in playing in pressure. We put a lot of pressure in a lot of different areas. When you watch us play in the D-zone, we’re pretty good. It’s the pressure situation when we create a lot of turnovers and we’re on the team.”
“Who are we? We’re a team that puts defense first and plays that way. We just have to make sure coming down the second half of the season, for us to improve on what we are, is to put more bodies at the net and shoot more pucks. When we do that, we’re a really effective team.”
Q: What have you seen from Daniil But in the NHL and how is Dmitri Simashev doing in the AHL?
Bill Armstrong: “But is doing great. Obviously, he had a big goal for us [against Ottawa]. I love the hunger around the net. I love the fact that he’s in the ninety-ninth percentile of all players in the National hockey League in terms of getting to the front of the net. That’s something we need. If he can settle down a little bit in his mind, get accustomed to the pace of it and shoot the puck more, he could be one of our top forwards come the second half. He can be that impactful for us.”
“Dmitri Simashev has gone down to the minors in Tucson and had a great time down there. He’s really improved his game. I think one thing for him is, he’s shown he has a little more offensive ability. He’s almost at a point per game down there. He’s got four goals. So, he’s been able to play on the first unit power play down there, along with growing his game and just using his skating. He’s a pretty effective player when he gets up in the rush and with that, his size and skating ability. He’ll be the first one back. So, he’s really pushed the pace of his offense, and he’s had a huge impact on Tucson.”
Dmitri Simashev puts us up by TWO! pic.twitter.com/uO2v37HozZ
— Tucson Roadrunners (@RoadrunnersAHL) January 1, 2026
“He just needs to keep working on that [to get back to the NHL]. I think for him, it’s getting that confidence in his game. One thing with the Russian players that they don’t have the advantage of anymore is they used to come in on these tournament teams when they’re sixteen to twenty and play in North American rinks. That has since ceased. So, they haven’t been able to get acclimated to the North American game as quick. It takes them a little bit longer. Going to the American League is something that for him, he’s learned to play the North American game. He’s a two-way defenseman. It’s all assets of the game. It’s the blocking shot, boxing out, being a bit more physical and moving that puck a little bit quicker.”
Q: What have you seen from Clayton Keller this season in terms of his growth as a captain?
Bill Armstrong: “Obviously, Kells has gone through some personal issues away from the rink with his father passing. I thought that he’s been a true warrior in a sense of making sure that he’s taken care of business every time he gets to the rink, and he’s done a great job for us. He’s someone that when he’s on top of his game, he’s moving the puck, putting pucks at the net, and creating offensive opportunities in the offensive zone.”
“He’s had a good season. I think there is still more in the power play that he can help that first unit accomplish. That’s big. When we score on the power play, it gives us confidence that we’re going to be able to put up more than two goals a game and that’s a huge thing for us in the second half. If he can help us improve on the power play and continue to play his game five-on-five, he can help us push right into the playoffs.”
The Captain! Atta boy, Kells!
🚨 5-1, UTAH! pic.twitter.com/kSMSTTiKTf
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 1, 2026
Q: How can the power play continue to improve?
Bill Armstrong: “We’ve been slowly getting better, and let’s be honest, the second unit has been really good. They create a ton of opportunities when they’re out there. But the first unit has put more pucks at the net, put more people at the net, and made it a little bit simpler. That’s led to some success for us.”
“The power play kind of goes hot and cold at times and when it’s hot, it drives your team to win. When it’s cold, you’re yearning for it. So, I think with the group just trying to get into the rink every single day, we’re going to get better. Just take small strides and become more consistent with it.”
Q: How has Dylan Guenther’s game grown since Logan Cooley was placed on IR?
Bill Armstrong: “Gunner is one of our leaders. When the game is on the line, he’s on the ice and gets it done. He’s been a driving force. I would say in a lot of the games that have been close for us, he’s had huge impact in closing the game out with the game winner.”
“He’s been a big part of our team. He has that extra gear and you can just tell he’s got a lot of determination. He’s kind of figured out that he has enough skill, he’s stronger, faster and with a little more determination, he can find ways to impact the game at a higher level, and that’s what he’s done.”
DYLAN GUENTHER HAT TRICK! 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/jppHc0u8tJ
— Utah Mammoth (@utahmammoth) January 1, 2026
Q: What are your thoughts on how Caleb Desnoyers, Tij Iginla, and Cole Beaudoin performed for Canada at World Juniors?
Bill Armstrong: “I love the way our kids played there. It was an awesome tournament for the Mammoth because of the fact that so many of our prospects had great tournaments there. But, Cole Beaudoin was a leader, played the most minutes for Canada. That’s something to be said right there. PP, PK, just a driving force, hard hockey. For me, he got better every single game and continues to improve his game.”
Cole Beaudoin does it again! 🚨🚨
Cole Beaudoin fait mouche à nouveau! 🚨🚨#WorldJuniors | #MondialJunior pic.twitter.com/IVNwwWGTPL
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) January 1, 2026
“I think Caleb Desnoyers was good. He kind of eased himself into the tournament a little bit, played wing on the third line. Started on the fourth line, moved up, and then continued to find ice time with that go-to step. He had an impressive point per game in that tournament and made an impact. Whether it’s taking a draw, whether it’s killing the penalty, having some big hits or making some big plays, he had a great tournament. He put himself on the map with that. For him, it was getting off injury that he had in the summer with his surgeries and getting back to his form. He had a great tournament.”
“Iginla was special in the tournament. He had a ton of energy, always seems to be in the right spot at the right time to score the goal. We loved his game. Where he had come off injury the previous year to where he’s at now, it’s night and day. You get excited when you think about Tij in a mammoth uniform and his ability to score.”
What a pass! What a finish! 🚨
Quelle belle passe! Et quelle belle touche finale! 🚨#WorldJuniors | #MondialJuniorpic.twitter.com/8V20uHew7N
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) January 1, 2026
What a shot from Tij Iginla! 🎯
Tout un tir de Tij Iginla! 🎯#WorldJuniors | #MondialJuniorpic.twitter.com/sQ8gWjx6AV
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) January 3, 2026
Q: What is the goal for the second half of the season as you push for the playoffs?
Bill Armstrong: “That’s a big thing for us and it’s one game at a time. You play every game like it’s a seventh game, attack it, just try to be consistent with the effort and closing out games. If we can do that, we’re going to give ourselves a chance to get in.”
“There’s a lot of good things. I think we’ve always been a team that’s dug into the analytics and when your numbers are green and good behind the scenes, it usually leads to good things. When your goal differential is good, it leads you to the right areas and a chance to get you in. I like our team in that aspect. I think that we’ve been a very healthy team in the sense of what we’ve accomplished with the goal differential, how hard we play and a lot of the other analytics underneath that are all positive. That leads you to believe that we’ve got a good chance to push the pace here to try and get in.”
Q: How is Logan Cooley doing in his rehab?
Bill Armstrong: “He’s doing great. He attacks it every single day, he’s in there working and making strides with it. He’s going to have a chance to come back here either before or after the Olympics. We’ll see how far he progresses, but he’s made huge strides.”
“I think there’s a point coming up that he’ll probably get back on the ice.”
What’s next for the Utah Mammoth?
The Utah Mammoth will continue their seven-game home stand against the St. Louis Blues on Friday night at 7 p.m. MT.
The game will be available on Mammoth+.
All Mammoth games will also be broadcast live on the KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM).
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.
