The Utah Mammoth have a lot of young talent coming, but three prospects in particular could make the biggest jump toward the NHL this season.
If there is one Mammoth prospect who enters the season with real momentum, it is Iginla.
Advertisement
The 20-year-old winger put together a monster 2025-26 season with the Kelowna Rockets, scoring 41 goals and 49 assists for 90 points in only 48 games. He was named to the WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team and finished as a finalist for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league’s top player.
Iginla is the son of NHL legend Jarome Iginla. Credit: Matt Krohn – Imagn Images
That kind of production is hard to overlook, especially after Iginla lost much of the previous season to injury.
Utah selected him sixth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, and his latest season offered a reminder of why the Mammoth invested such a high pick in him. Iginla also showed well internationally, recording eight points in seven games for Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championship.
Advertisement
Now, the next step is obvious.
Iginla has a chance to push for an NHL job, and another strong season could make that decision increasingly difficult for Utah.
Cossa has already spent years hearing about his potential. Now he gets a fresh chance to show what he can actually do with it.
Utah acquired the 23-year-old goaltender from the Detroit Red Wings during the 2026 NHL Draft, giving the former 15th overall pick a new organization to work with.
There is plenty to like about Cossa’s résumé.
Before turning pro, he helped the Edmonton Oil Kings win the 2022 WHL championship and finished his junior career with a 71-16-4-3 record, a 2.12 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage and 14 shutouts.
Advertisement
His AHL career has been strong, too. Cossa owns a 70-33-19 record with a 2.46 GAA and .911 save percentage since turning pro in 2022-23.
He has only appeared in one NHL game, but Cossa made the most of it. He stopped 12 shots after entering in relief against Buffalo on Dec. 9, 2024, helping Detroit eventually win in a shootout. Once viewed as a cornerstone of the Red Wings’ goaltending pipeline, Cossa’s unexpected departure brought that chapter to an abrupt end and raised plenty of eyebrows around the league.
Now, Utah gets to find out whether the former first-round pick can turn that untapped potential into something tangible. At 6-foot-6, Cossa certainly looks the part of an NHL goaltender. The next challenge is proving he can play like one consistently.
Psenicka is the youngest of the three and probably the biggest long-term project, but there is plenty to work with.
Advertisement
The 19-year-old defenseman stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 194 pounds, giving Utah an imposing presence on the blue line. More importantly, he began showing some offensive upside during his first full season with the Portland Winterhawks.

Psenicka, far left, talks things over with now-former teammates Ian Cole and JJ Peterka. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing – Imagn Images
Psenicka finished 2025-26 with eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points in 53 games. He also represented Czechia at the World Junior Championship, picking up three points in seven games as the country won a silver medal.
The Mammoth selected him 46th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft and signed him to a three-year entry-level contract in July.
Psenicka is expected to return to Portland this season, where another year of development could be valuable. He does not need to rush.
Advertisement
For now, Utah can afford to let him grow into his frame, round out his game and see just how much offense he can eventually bring from the back end.
If he takes another step, Psenicka could become a very interesting piece of the Mammoth blue line.

Read the full article here

