The Utah Mammoth are 7-0 since unveiling their new mascot, Tusky, during their home opener against Calgary on October 15th. The Mammoth have outscored teams 32-17 during their franchise record seven-game winning streak, and they skate into Edmonton with arguably the most dangerous top-six in the NHL.

Utah is the only team in the NHL with five forwards with 9+ points. Nick Schmaltz leads the NHL with 16 points, while Clayton Keller has 12, Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther have 11 and JJ Peterka has nine. Utah has the most goals among Western Conference teams, and only Washington (2.33) has a better GAA than the Mammoth’s 2.40. They are tied with New Jersey for the best GF-GA differential at +13 (37-24).

These are not the low-budget Arizona Coyotes. They have the same GM, Bill Armstrong, who has done a great job of drafting — and recently trading for — some elite skill.

Armstrong was hired as GM of the Coyotes in September of 2020. His first draft they took Dylan Guenther ninth overall, Josh Doan 37th overall and JJ Moser 60th overall. Guenther already has 58 NHL goals. Doan was traded to Buffalo for Peterka, while Moser was part of the deal to acquire Mikhail Sergachev.

In 2022, Armstong drafted Cooley (9th), Conor Geekie (11th) and Maveric Lamoureux (29th). Cooley already has two 20+ goals seasons and has seven goals this year. He also has the second-fastest top speed in the NHL this season at 23.97 miles per hour (mph), trailing only Connor McDavid (24.61 mph). Geekie was the other pieces sent to Tampa for Sergachev, while Lamoureux is a hulking 6’7″, 220-pound D-man who can really skate. He played 15 NHL games last season and is expected to be a pillar on the blue line down the road.

Armstrong drafted Dmitry Simashev 6th overall in 2023, and after two seasons in the KHL, he’s in his rookie NHL season playing with Sergachev. The Mammoth prospect pool consists of Tij Iginla, Cole Beaudoin, Caleb Desnoyers, Max Psenicka and others. Armstrong told me yesterday on Sports 1440 that he feels his current roster is only about 60-70% complete as he’s very excited about the young players who will be joining them.

The Mammoth and Oilers are two of the quickest teams in the NHL.

Tonight should be a fast game.

And it might have a bit extra spice as Leon Draisaitl said this about the Mammoth’s winning streak.

““ Obviously a lot of skill, a team that’s feeling it right now, but this isn’t the time where it matters to feel it right? You gotta show it down the stretch. Obviously they got off to a good start which helps so it’s gonna be a great test for us.”

— Armstrong had an interesting viewpoint on his team adjusting to playing in Utah after being in Arizona.  “I know this is going to sound funny, but we weren’t used to fans last year at this time, we couldn’t win at the Delta Centre.” said Armstrong. “Our team was so over enthused about being the front a fan based that was crazy about us. We over tried, we got over frustrated and it boiled over. It took us awhile to get used to that as a team. Now the guys are super grateful for the elite practice facility that we have. And the Delta Center has been renovated with our name, and the mascot and everything else. We live in a world with the Utah Mammoth of no-excuse hockey. As a GM that is all you can ask for. We don’t have one excuse (not to be competitive).”

— Trent Frederic had his best game of the season in Vancouver. He was moving his feet, he spent more time in the offensive zone, he won board battles, protected the puck well and he had eight hits. You won’t get eight hits a game, but the other aspects are repeatable. When you are in a funk offensively you need to do other things to contribute and he did on Sunday. He needs to do more of it tonight.

— The Oilers will play their first game with their new third jersey. Outside a new jerseys, they gave their coaches new track suits to match the jersey. It led to a few laughs from the players. “I’ve never seen a coach in that light colour of track suit,” said Frederic with a smile/laugh.

— Zach Hyman skated with the team and he rotated in on line rushes with the fourth line as he, Noah Philp and Curtis Lazar took turns rotating in. Hyman is eligible to return to the lineup at the earliest on Saturday. It is still too early to say for sure if he’ll be ready, but he is getting closer and he has been skating and shooting for the past few weeks, which is a good sign.