Key Takeaways and Standouts from Utah Mammoth’s Final Rookie Faceoff Game

The Utah Mammoth’s rookie camp concluded on Tuesday with their toughest challenge yet, ending on a disappointing note. The team suffered a 4-0 shutout loss to the Los Angeles Kings, despite keeping pace with their opponents in total shots.

Although several key prospects were sidelined, the performance on Tuesday highlighted some major areas of concern. Turnovers, power play inefficiencies, and careless passing defined a frustrating conclusion to the rookie faceoff. Here are the primary takeaways from the Mammoth’s final game against the Kings.

Max Pšenička Plays His First Full Game

Max Pšenička was expected to anchor the Mammoth’s defense during the tournament. However, his weekend got off to a rough start; less than five minutes into the opening game against the Vegas Golden Knights, a high stick caught his face. After bleeding heavily on the ice, he exited the game and missed the subsequent matchup against the San Jose Sharks.

With Dmitri Simashev and Artem Duda sidelined for the final game against the Kings, the coaching staff opted to give Pšenička his first complete game of the weekend. He delivered a solid performance, though wearing a protective bubble made it clear that the defenseman was not yet at full strength.

Pšenička is wearing a bubble today after what transpired on Saturday. #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/TcehIvT7rB

— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) September 15, 2026

“He had to go through a little bit of adversity,” Roadrunners head coach Steve Potvin remarked. “He wasn’t feeling at his best. It was good to see him out there. All things considered, we saw some good gaps out of him. We’d like to see him manage the puck a little bit and get it through the first layer.”

On Tuesday, Pšenička stood out as the Mammoth’s premier defenseman on the ice. While teammates Tomas Lavoie and Gregor Biber put in solid performances throughout the weekend, Pšenička clearly possesses superior size and speed compared to the pair.

Even while operating below 100%, Pšenička showed no hesitation in physical play, skating with speed and constantly seeking the puck. However, he lacked consistent support from his teammates. The Mammoth spent nearly the entire game playing from behind, and the goals they conceded did little to ease the frustration.

“When you go down, you give up a short-handed goal and then another on the power play, you’re chasing the game and the opposition is playing from the net out,” Potvin explained. “When a team is trying to generate offense or momentum, they often press, push, and chase, but they must remain patient, stick to the structure, and understand the game scenario. I think this challenging situation didn’t help Max.”

Pšenička’s path forward will be intriguing to watch. He is likely to return to the Western Hockey League (WHL) before potentially rejoining the Roadrunners later in the season. With the talent and capability to eventually become an NHL defenseman, his approach to training camp and the amount of preseason ice time he secures will be key developmental markers.

Gabe Smith Remains a Presence All Tournament Long

When Gabe Smith’s name came up in conversation with Potvin, the coach immediately spoke highly of him, expressing immense excitement about his play. And honestly, Potvin’s enthusiasm is entirely justified.

Smith emerged as the Mammoth’s most impactful player across all three games of the tournament. Playing like a wrecking ball, he dominated physically. While official hit statistics are not tracked during rookie faceoff games, it is highly probable that Smith ranked near the top in hits if such records had been kept.

His leadership was recognized with an alternate captaincy for the Mammoth. Smith led by example, registering eight shots and engaging in a fight. He contributed on both the power play and penalty kill. While those units struggled on Tuesday, they were highly effective during the first two games of the tournament.

In the faceoff circle, Smith was equally dominant. Although official faceoff statistics were not recorded for the tournament, he consistently won a high volume of draws over the course of the three games.

“He’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast, he’s got a great attitude,” Potvin noted. “He’s a player that we’re excited about. He didn’t get the points that he would have liked, or we would have liked, but we’re putting him in a position where he’s logging a lot of ice time. He’s playing on the first power play, and he’s killing penalties. He’s on the first line. He’s taking key draws. He’s doing a lot of work out there. He’s an exciting player for us.”

Smith logged significant ice time, particularly on Tuesday when several star prospects were absent. In the previous games, he anchored the top line alongside Daniil But and Vadim Moroz.

Potvin should be particularly enthusiastic about Smith’s prospects, as he is expected to play a key role for the Roadrunners in the AHL this season. His physical, high-energy style is tailor-made for the AHL. Combining his size and physicality with an excellent hockey IQ that facilitates puck movement, Smith possesses the tools to excel. While adjusting his scoring at the professional level will be a challenge, his resilience suggests he will not give up when facing difficulties.

Smith should not be overlooked during the Mammoth’s main camp either. Having survived the cuts last year, if he secures a roster spot in the bottom six this month, it will be a direct result of his persistent effort and merit.

Other Standouts From Game 3

The Mammoth’s loss to the Kings was somewhat expected given the circumstances. Key prospects Dmitri Simashev, Artem Duda, Michael Hrabal, and Daniil But were all held out of the lineup, leaving a roster composed mostly of camp invitees.

However, the team’s inability to score on the power play is harder to overlook. The unit went scoreless in eight opportunities. While the primary power play producers from the earlier games watched from the stands, players like Smith, Moroz, and Yegor Borikov still had ample chances to execute. Compounding the issue were numerous turnovers and giveaways, primarily caused by careless passing.

“It’s an unfortunate way to end the tournament,” Potvin said. “We had some pretty good games over the weekend, and I liked seeing how our game was developing. I thought it was a connected type of team, and today was just a little disoriented. I thought our puck management was clearly not up to scale. When you’re having to backcheck and defend more than you have to, then you’re going to get some penalties, and you’re going to give up scoring chances, and that’s exactly what happened.”

While goalie Ivan Tkach-Tkachenko might face immediate scrutiny after starting his first game of the rookie faceoff, he was far from the primary issue. He stopped 24 of 28 shots, including several breakaways. Tkach-Tkachenko cannot stop everything, and he clearly lags behind the caliber of Michael Hrabal. He requires further development and is still a long way from the NHL, but the Mammoth may have a promising foundation to build upon.

Despite the loss, the Mammoth had some individual standouts. Reko Alanko made the most of his limited ice time, delivering some of the team’s hardest hits and proving to be a reliable presence on the penalty kill. Additionally, he demonstrated strong puck protection and smart positioning to avoid collisions.

Brandon Holt will likely finish the tournament with a negative plus/minus rating, but he was frequently placed in difficult positions, such as defending odd-man rushes triggered by turnovers or poor line changes. Despite these challenges, Holt could prove to be an underrated defensive asset for the Roadrunners’ blue line this season.

One of the final highlights of Tuesday’s game was Grayden Strohack’s bout with Nate Corbet. The fight was fierce and stood out as the longest tilt of the weekend for a Mammoth player. Although Strohack was a camp invitee and unlikely to make the final roster, he displayed commendable toughness in the scrap.

Nate Corbet and Grayden Strohack drop their gloves. Corbet went at Strohack hard. Best tilt I’ve seen all tournament. #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/J0MJT6ohUc

— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) September 15, 2026

Overall, the tournament served as a successful showcase for the organization. Star prospects like Simashev, But, and Hrabal performed exceptionally well. Roadrunners players such as Duda and Smith made significant impacts, with Duda finishing as the team’s top producer with three points in two games. Other prospects, such as Florent Houle, used the event to make a name for themselves, with Houle delivering another strong performance on Tuesday, despite it being his least effective game of the weekend.

The Mammoth displayed strong physicality and character, particularly during their first two games of the showcase. While Tuesday’s finale was a difficult outing, the initial performances represented the kind of promising hockey expected from a deep prospect pool, many of whom are projected for the AHL and hold NHL potential.

“I liked our first two games,” Potvin said. “We gave them a lot of instruction, and I liked the way they executed. I thought they understood what we were asking, and I’m proud of those first two games. I really thought that they played to a standard that was pro hockey level, winning-type habit team that was willing to and able to take the next step. They learned a lot from each other, and I think that’s exactly what the weekend is for. We needed to understand a little more about what they can do, and they need to learn more about what our standards are and how we progress through a season.”

Understanding Potvin’s coaching style and the Mammoth’s organizational culture will be highly beneficial for players transitioning to the Roadrunners this season. Given the compressed timeline of training camp and preseason, if players exit the tournament having improved and feeling more prepared for the AHL, the event can be considered a resounding success.

Looking ahead, the focus shifts to main camp and the upcoming preseason. The Mammoth will embark on their first-ever four-game preseason schedule, starting on September 20 with a road game against the Colorado Avalanche.

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