After a breakout season in the WHL and a strong first taste of professional hockey, the Utah Mammoth have officially signed one of their top defensive prospects to a three-year entry-level contract.
The Utah Mammoth continue to lock up pieces of their future.
On Friday, the organization announced that defenseman Max Pšenička has signed a three-year, entry-level contract, officially bringing one of the franchise’s promising young blue-line prospects into the fold after an impressive first full season in North America.
For Pšenička, the deal marks another milestone in what has been a rapid rise over the last two years.
The 19-year-old spent the 2025-26 campaign with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League, where he showcased the combination of size, mobility, and offensive instincts that made him such an intriguing draft pick. Despite standing 6-foot-5, Pšenička displayed confidence moving the puck and finished the season with eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points in 53 games. He also accumulated 67 penalty minutes while emerging as one of Portland’s most reliable defensemen.
His impact was felt throughout the lineup, finishing second among Winterhawks defensemen in both assists and overall scoring while recording six multi-point performances during the regular season.
That strong campaign earned him an opportunity to make the jump to professional hockey before the season officially came to a close.
Pšenička appeared in two games with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners and wasted little time making an impression. He picked up an assist in his professional debut against the San Diego Gulls on April 15, offering an early glimpse of what the Mammoth hope he can become at the next level.
His development has extended beyond North American hockey as well.
Representing Czechia at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, Pšenička helped his country capture a silver medal while contributing three points in seven tournament games. The international experience added another important chapter to a season filled with growth.
Before arriving in Portland full-time, the Prague native began the 2024-25 season playing professionally in his home country with HC Plzeň. He scored two goals in 16 Extraliga contests while also producing 11 points in 20 games with the club’s junior team before making the transition overseas.
Since joining the Winterhawks, Pšenička has totaled nine goals and 37 points in 77 regular-season games while adding another eight points in 22 playoff appearances, continuing to show steady progress on both sides of the puck.
The Mammoth selected Pšenička with the 46th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft. Less than two years later, the organization has made another investment in his future, signing the young defenseman to his first NHL contract as he continues climbing the professional ranks.
