The Utah Mammoth are bringing back their “Next Gen” game for a second time this season, presented by America First Credit Union, on April 11. When the Mammoth host the Carolina Hurricanes that afternoon, Delta Center will transform into a kid-powered experience, with young fans stepping into game-day roles throughout the arena, broadcast, and in-game entertainment.

Designed to celebrate and inspire the next wave of hockey enthusiasts, the event gives participants ages 8–14 a unique, behind-the-scenes opportunity to help shape the game-day atmosphere.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of it—secure your tickets now and join in supporting the growth of hockey’s future in Utah.

If the Mammoth hold onto their wild card spot secure a postseason berth, their most probable first-round opponent appears to be the Anaheim Ducks.

There is no such thing as an easy series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The league’s parity has all but eliminated true underdogs from qualifying, but certain opponents present a less daunting challenge than others.

Earlier this month, Connor McDavid described the Pacific Division as a “pillow fight,” highlighting the relative lack of dominant contenders in that race. If Utah claims the first wild card position, it would remain within the Pacific bracket for at least the opening two rounds, avoiding Central Division powers such as the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Minnesota Wild.

Anaheim and Utah find themselves in similar phases of their respective rebuilds. The Ducks have not qualified for the playoffs since 2018, but their recent high draft selections are beginning to emerge as key contributors at the NHL level.

Head-to-head, the teams have split their six all-time meetings evenly. Their most recent contest saw Anaheim pull away late with two empty-net goals in a 4–1 victory, while Utah previously delivered a decisive 7–0 win—though three of those goals came against a goaltender making his NHL debut.

One potential differentiator in a playoff series could be experience behind the bench. Anaheim is led by Joel Quenneville, a four-time Stanley Cup champion with 121 career playoff victories—third-most in league history. Utah’s André Tourigny, meanwhile, has coached more than 400 regular-season NHL games but has limited postseason experience, with his only appearance coming as an assistant in 2014. While Tourigny has enjoyed success internationally and in junior hockey, he has yet to capture a league championship at the professional level.

That said, coaching pedigree alone will not determine the outcome. Utah enters the matchup with advantages in team save percentage and goal differential, outpacing Anaheim by a margin of 30 goals. As is always the case in the playoffs, a variety of factors will ultimately shape the result—and only the games themselves will provide definitive answers.