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NHL Team Reports - Utah Mammoth - Oct. 31, 2025 – Ryan Kennedy

DEFENSEMAN MAX Psenicka started his draft year back home in Czechia, splitting his time between the junior and pro ranks with Plzen. His expectations weren’t high, but a mid-season move to WHL Portland flipped the script.

In the end, Psenicka was drafted in the second round (46th overall) this summer by the Utah Mammoth. “For me, I wasn’t really expecting to be in the draft at the start of the season,” he said. “So to go to the combine and see myself in the draft was amazing.”

At 6-foot-4 and 178 pounds, Psenicka has a great frame that still has room to build upon. And there’s tremendous upside thanks to his reach, skating and willingness to get involved. With six points through eight games with Portland this season, he will surely eclipse the seven he had in 24 WHL games last year. While getting experience against men – he got into 16 pro games – was helpful, Psenicka is effusive in his praise of Portland. “I was really excited to go there,” he said. “Everybody there was amazing to me. I had a really warm welcome. Probably the best coaching staff I’ve ever had, and I also have to give credit to my billet family.”

Moving to the other side of the world can be a challenge for a teenager, but the support Psenicka got from the Winterhawks organization made it easier. “The culture’s a little different,” he said. “I had been to America a couple times before, so I knew what to expect. It was fairly easy for me to get adjusted.”

And if he ever wanted to speak Czech, teammate and goaltender Ondrej Stebetak was there. Of course, there was also WHL Seattle Thunderbirds defenseman Radim Mrtka, who ended up going ninth overall to Buffalo in the draft. “We played against each other, like, nine times,” Psenicka said. “We both hate each other’s teams. It was a really good experience to play against him and get to know him as a player and person.”

The pair could end up as teammates on Czechia’s WJC team this winter, where they would momentarily put aside the Portland-Seattle feud.

Psenicka is just happy to be in a good spot in his young career. “If you put hard work in, be patient and believe in yourself,” he said, “you’ll get there in the end.”

THE HOCKEY NEWS

DEPTH GRADE

B

FORWARDS

B-

DEFENSEMEN

C+

GOALIES

Mammoth Drop Tough Game To Maple Leafs 5-3 Maple Leafs surged in the third, overcoming an early Mammoth lead. Utah's comeback attempt falls short on the road.

Clayton Keller's Overtime Goal Gives Utah Mammoth Hard Fought 2-1 Win Over Sabres The storyline was set in stone for the Utah Mammoth’s first game against the Buffalo Sabres. Either JJ Peterka would be scoring goals against his old team, or Buffalo’s Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring would each have revenge games against their former teammates.

Mammoth & Sabres Meet For First Time Since Summer Blockbuster Trade Peterka faces Doan and Kesselring for the first time since their summer trade. See how the blockbuster deal has reshaped both teams.