Will the Utah Mammoth make a move before the NHL trade deadline? Here are some names to watch.

The NHL trade deadline is Thursday and the Utah Mammoth are in a unique position to either strengthen or solidify their roster heading into the final month of the regular season.

It’s entirely possible that the Mammoth do nothing at the deadline. After all, Utah entered the week sitting in the first wild card spot in the Western Conference and just got rising superstar Logan Cooley and veteran forward Alexander Kerfoot back from lengthy injuries.

The team is reaching full health at the perfect time, giving head coach Andre Tourigny around 25 games to get his lines and special teams groups nailed down for what could be the first NHL postseason in Utah history.

That’s not to say the Mammoth are without areas for improvement, but conventional wisdom might suggest seeing what a fully healthy squad looks like before making any big roster moves.

The major glaring issue that has plagued the team since before the injuries, however, is the power play. Utah fell as low as last place in the NHL in power-play percentage in January, and currently sits in 30th out of 32 teams. Utah’s other special teams unit, the penalty kill, ranks 20th.

Faceoffs are a crucial part of special teams, gaining possession during the precious few penalty minutes. The Mammoth are just below 50% on faceoffs this season, also good for 20th in the NHL.

Buying the Olympic hype?

One big swing that could solve at least a couple of those issues is jumping in on the New York Rangers’ fire sale and grabbing Team USA gold medalist Vincent Trocheck at the deadline.

The Rangers — currently sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference — already traded away defenseman Carson Soucy and forward Artemi Panarin since the calendar flipped to 2026, with the deals bringing back either draft picks or prospects to New York.

The Mammoth have a wealth of future assets and could put together an enticing package for the 12-year NHL veteran Trocheck, who was an All-Star in 2024 and led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Finals that same year.

Utah has four picks across the first two rounds of the 2026 NHL Draft, including New York’s own pick that will likely land very early in the second round, which it could offer to the Rangers in return.

The Los Angeles Kings had to give up a third-round pick and former first-rounder Liam Greentree in the Feb. 4 deal that got them Panarin. If the Rangers insist on Utah throwing in a prospect as well, 2024 first-round pick Cole Beaudoin could do the trick and get it across the line.

Trocheck is elite in the circle on faceoffs and is considered a “do-it-all” center across five-on-five and special teams play. His experience in high-pressure tournaments at both the Olympics and the Stanley Cup playoffs could pay dividends for Utah alongside fellow gold medalist Clayton Keller.

Insurance policy for Schmaltz?

Trocheck’s slightly advanced age at 32 and lengthy contract running until 2029 could be a slight deterrent for the methodical Mammoth led by general manager Bill Armstrong, but the veteran center could also be seen as an economical insurance policy in case 30-year-old forward Nick Schmaltz leaves this summer in free agency.

Trocheck makes a moderate $5.6 million per year, while Schmaltz will likely be looking for a significant pay increase from his $5.85 million per year after already tying his career high in goals with 23 through 58 games, including two hat tricks.

Schmaltz’s name has been mentioned at times in trade rumors around the league in light of his impending free agency, but given his instrumental role in getting Utah into a playoff position this season, it seems unlikely.

Other names to watch

One name to watch: St. Louis’ Robert Thomas, a 26-year-old top-six center. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported Monday that “Utah is among the teams that have gone down that path with St. Louis on Thomas to a serious enough degree.”

Other names to keep an eye on as far as Mammoth acquisitions ahead of the deadline include Seattle forward Jared McCann, Vancouver forward Conor Garland and Toronto defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The latter two began their careers with the Arizona Coyotes and Ekman-Larsson even served as the final captain in Arizona before their move to Utah.

In fact, Ekman-Larsson’s salary is still being partially paid by the Mammoth in small increments through 2030 after the Coyotes agreed to retain 12% of his salary in a trade with Vancouver in 2021.