Mammoth Clinch Top Wild Card Spot Despite Mounting Injuries

Utah secures playoff berth despite key players missing time due to injuries in final stretch of regular season

Apr. 15, 2026 at 5:54am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting a hockey game, with sharp, overlapping geometric planes in vibrant colors like royal blue, fiery orange, and metallic silver, conceptually representing the Mammoth's resilient and determined play during their playoff push.The Mammoth's gritty, resilient play during their playoff push is reflected in a cubist, geometric rendering of the team's hard-fought victory.Salt Lake City Today

The Utah Mammoth have officially clinched the first wild card spot in the Western Conference, securing a playoff berth despite a rash of injuries to key players in the final weeks of the regular season. The Mammoth defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 on Tuesday, with Nick Schmaltz scoring two goals, but the team lost defenseman Sean Durzi to a hand injury after he blocked a shot. Head coach André Tourigny praised his team's resilience, saying they 'played solid' and were 'stingy' when the game was tight.

Why it matters

The Mammoth's ability to clinch a playoff spot despite mounting injuries to their roster demonstrates the team's depth and adaptability. As the playoffs approach, the Mammoth will need to rely on their secondary players to step up and fill the void left by injured starters, which could be crucial in a long postseason run.

The details

In addition to Durzi's injury, the Mammoth are also dealing with week-to-week absences for Barrett Hayton and Jack McBain, while MacKenzie Weegar, John Marino, and Mikhail Sergachev have all missed time recently. The team has defensive depth in players like Nick DeSimone and Dmitri Simashev, as well as forward Kevin Rooney, who have proven capable at the NHL level. The Mammoth may also call upon AHL reinforcements like Daniil But, Maveric Lamoureux, Maksymilian Szuber, and Scott Perunovich if needed.

  • The Mammoth clinched the first wild card spot in the Western Conference on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
  • Durzi left Tuesday's game against the Jets after blocking a shot with his hand.

The players

Nick Schmaltz

The Mammoth center scored two goals in the team's 5-3 win over the Jets, helping the team clinch a playoff berth.

André Tourigny

The Mammoth's head coach praised his team's resilience and defensive effort in the win over Winnipeg.

Sean Durzi

The Mammoth defenseman left Tuesday's game with a hand injury after blocking a shot.

Barrett Hayton

The Mammoth forward is out on a week-to-week basis due to injury.

Jack McBain

The Mammoth forward is also out on a week-to-week basis due to injury.

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What they’re saying

“We just don't want to be limping into the playoffs. We want to be rolling. We want everyone feeling confident and hit the ground running right from Game 1.”

— Nick Schmaltz, Mammoth center

“We made it tougher than we should have or could have, but when push came to shove and it was tight, we played solid. We didn't give much. We were stingy. ... The guys were rock-solid.”

— André Tourigny, Mammoth head coach

What’s next

The Mammoth will face either the Edmonton Oilers or the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the playoffs, depending on the results of the final regular season games.

The takeaway

The Mammoth's ability to clinch a playoff spot despite a rash of injuries to key players demonstrates the team's depth and resilience. As the playoffs approach, the Mammoth will need to rely on their secondary players to step up and fill the void left by injured starters, which could be crucial in making a deep postseason run.