The St. Louis Blues are looking to not only return to the postseason, but to do so in a fashion that sets them apart from the rest of the Central Division, reclaiming a top-three spot in their division. The Mammoth, featuring talents like Logan Cooley and Clayton Keller from their inaugural season, face depth and goaltending uncertainties that the Blues’ physical, balanced roster can exploit. Using the Mammoth’s 2024-25 stats and their projected 2025-26 lineup via PuckPedia, let’s break down how St. Louis can capitalize on Utah’s weaknesses in this emerging divisional matchup.
Central Division Series
Utah Mammoth’s Offseason Moves: Openings for the Blues
The Mammoth made strategic adjustments following their inaugural 2024-25 season, but gaps remain that St. Louis can target:
Key Additions
- JJ Peterka (F): Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres for Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan. The 23-year-old winger tallied 68 points (27G, 41A) in 77 games last season, adding youthful scoring potential.
- Brandon Tanev (F): Signed as a free agent, the 33-year-old brings 22 points (10G, 12A) and 168 hits from this past season, adding physicality and some much needed veteran leadership.
- Scott Perunovich (D): Signed with Utah as a free agent in the offseason after three seasons with the St. Louis Blues, where he scored 2 goals and 29 points in 97 games, followed by 11 games with the New York Islanders, producing 3 assists and a -4 rating. The 26-year-old’s puck-moving skills add depth, but his defensive inconsistencies and limited recent playtime could limit his playing time.
- Nate Schmidt (D): The 34-year-old veteran added five goals, 19 points and 71 blocks in 80 games last season, providing experience, though his declining mobility favors St. Louis’ speed.
- Vitek Vanecek (G): The 29-year-old goaltender posted a .884 SV% and 3.62 GAA in 29 games with San Jose and the Florida Panthers, offering a potential upgrade in net.
Key Subtractions
- Nick Bjugstad (F): Signed by the St. Louis Blues this past offseason. The 33-year-old forward scored eight goals, 19 points in 66 games, losing a reliable bottom-six presence.
- Josh Doan (F): Traded to the Buffalo Sabres with Michael Kesselring for JJ Peterka. The 23-year-old scored 19 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 62 games, this past season for the Utah Hockey Club. His trade, while upgrading with Peterka, thins out Utah’s young forward depth.
- Michael Kesselring (D): Part of the Buffalo trade, the 23-year-old scored 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) in 82 games. His departure weakens Utah’s blue-line physicality
Impact on Depth
The Mammoth’s additions (Peterka, Tanev, Perunovich, Schmidt, Vanecek) aim to upgrade their roster, but the subtractions (Bjugstad, Doan, Maccelli, Kesselring) strip away scoring and physicality. With an unproven third line and goaltending reliant on Vanecek’s consistency, St. Louis’ middle-six (Neighbours, Holloway, Schenn, Suter) and aggressive playstyle should work to overwhelm Utah’s lineup.
Projected Mammoth Lineup and Special Teams
Based on PuckPedia here is a glance at what the lineup for the Utah Mammoth could look like:
Forwards:
- Keller – Cooley – Guenther
- Peterka – Hayton – Schmaltz
- Kerfoot – McBain – Crouse
- O’Brien – Stenlund – Tanev
Defense:
- Sergachev – Marino
- Cole – Durzi
- Maata - Schmidt
Goaltenders:
- Vejmelka
- Vanecek
Power Play 1: Keller – Schmaltz – Guenther – Peterka – Sergachev
Power Play 2: Hayton – Cooley – McBain – Crouse – Durzi
Penalty Kill 1: Stenlund – Kerfoot – Sergachev – Cole
Penalty Kill 2: McBain – Tanev – Maata – Durzi
Key Matchups: Where the Blues Hold the Edge
The Blues-Mammoth rivalry, though new(er), promises physicality, and St. Louis holds the advantage:
- Jordan Kyrou vs. Clayton Keller: Kyrou’s speed and scoring potential projects him around 30-35 goals, someone who can counter Keller’s playmaking (30G, 90PTS in 2024-25). With his ability to generate breakaways, Kyrou can exploit Utah’s shaky defense, alongside Holloway and Schenn to limit Keller’s impact.
- Logan Cooley vs. Jimmy Snuggerud: The former NCAA teammates from the University of Minnesota face off, with Cooley’s dynamic playmaking (25G, 65PTS in 2024-25) testing Snuggerud’s emerging scoring (projected 15-20G).
- Cam Fowler vs. Sean Durzi: Fowler’s veteran experience and puck-moving skills should challenge Durzi’s offensive output that he put up with four goals and 11 points in 30 games with Utah last season.
- Depth Battle: The Blues’ middle-six, featuring players like Holloway, Schenn, Neighbours outmatches Utah’s unproven group on paper. However, should players like Durzi stay healthy, and Peterka provide the offense that he has shown capable of, there could be a few high-scoring matches these two teams get into.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Blues’ Path to Victory
Mammoth’s Strengths:
- Top-Line Firepower: Keller, Guenther, and Peterka are dangerous, but Fowler and the Blues’ defense can force low-danger shots.
- Goaltending: Vanacek’s addition to their squad should help reinforce their goaltending tandem and allow them for better matchups. How he will fair in Utah though is yet to be seen making him a major wild card.
Mammoth’s Weaknesses:
- Depth Scoring Gaps: Beyond the top lines, production could quickly drop off giving St. Louis’ depth a chance to overwhelm Utah’s bottom-six.
- Goaltending Uncertainty: As previously stated, Vanacek’s addition is great on paper but adds a bit of an uncertainty status to this squad, making Utah ripe for St. Louis’ attack.
What to Expect in 2025-26: New Faces in Utah Might Not Be Enough to Overwhelm the Blues
The Mammoth will aim for a playoff push with their mixture of a young core and a newly added group of depth veteran pieces.ultimately projecting around 90-95 points. However, their depth losses and goaltending questions hold them back.
St. Louis’ explosive offense and young, led by goal scoring from the likes of Kyrou and Buchnevich, bolstered by Broberg, Parayko and Fowler’s defensive play, and a resilient group of rising stars like Holloway and Snuggerud, puts them in a good spot to dictate this rivalry.
If the Blues leverage their physical edge and Utah’s inexperience, they can secure a strong divisional standing and a deep playoff run. The Mammoth’s potential with Keller and Vejmelka keeps them in the hunt, but their exposed flaws make them a prime target for your Blues to conquer.