Utah Mammoth ‘Lurking’ For A Big Swing at Deadline

There are teams that are always ready to take the 'big swing' on the trade front. We saw the Vegas Golden Knights hit their home run already this weekend by obtaining Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames. Carolina is another team always ready to go big game hunting. Dallas, even San Jose now, are others. But don't count out the NHL's newest ownership group: the Utah Mammoth.

David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period told Jeff Marek on The Sheet that he expects Utah to be "aggressive" in this trade market.

I'm just waiting. Because every indication that I've been given from people in that organization is that 'We have the means to take a big swing and go get another big fish if we need one,' and it's just a matter of finding that piece.

Pagnotta adds that their goal isn't to find just a rental, but a long-term core piece for the team.

"I think the preference would be to go bigger and bring in somebody that's controllable and has term, and not just a piece for the rest of the season... (GM) Bill Armstrong is willing to be aggressive, and ownership is willing to be overly aggressive, and we know they're not afraid to spend money...

"Honestly, I've been waiting for that big piece to happen there, another big move for them, because they're lurking. They're always lurking."

The Mammoth did hit one home run this past offseason, acquiring top young scoring forward JJ Peterka, an RFA at the time, in a sign-and-trade with the Buffalo Sabres. It sounds like another big move is coming before the trade deadline rolls around in early March.

The Mammoth have $12.5 million in cap space at the moment, and are projected by PuckPedia to have $26.2 million by the deadline.

Utah is on a nice run right now, 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, putting them solidly in the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.