Tonight, the Utah Mammoth kick off their 2025 Rookie Showcase as they are in Colorado to take on the Colorado Avalanche.
It not only marks the return of hockey for fans, but also the first chance for the hockey world to see their new team name, logo and jerseys. The rookie camp is just the start of the return to hockey with the 2025-26 training camp starting not long after, and before we know it, the 2025-26 NHL season will be upon us.
First, let's turn our attention to the start of the Rookie Showcase. Utah's general manager (GM) Bill Armstrong caught up with Catherine Bogart of NHL.com on Wednesday to discuss the camp.
“It’s hard for young players to play hard against the (other) players in your organization,” Armstrong shared. “When you go away and you can see peer-on-peer, it’s really a great thing. You get to see your organization compete against another organization; it really brings out the best.”
As Bogart mentioned in her article, tonight marks the start of the new era of the Mammoth prospect pool. Daniil But and Dmitri Simashev are in North America to try and make the Mammoth's opening night roster after winning the KHL Championship earlier this season.
Tij Iginla also will make his return to the ice after missing a good portion of last season due to double hip surgery. Iginla also spoke with Bogart about his return to the ice.
“I watched it last year, didn’t get to be a part of it. But there’s competition and those games, they get (really) gritty and physical and stuff, so that’ll be exciting.”
The Mammoth's game starts at 6:00 p.m. MT, 8:00 p.m. EST. You can watch the game here.
