Takeaways From the Utah Mammoth’s 2025 Development Camp

As mentioned, Simashev made an impact on his teammates as well. He was the main choice when players were asked who they liked playing with.

“Playing with Simashev was super fun,” Cole Beaudoin said. “I didn’t get to play with him last year. I was against him, and it showed how good he is out there, and he’s super smooth on the ice.”

Even a guy like Max Pšenička, who has been with the Mammoth for barely a week, has really enjoyed being around Simashev.

“I like to play with Sima,” Pšenička said. “I think he’s a really good d-man, really good prospect here.”

Simashev eventually won the Development Camp MVP award. Director of player development Lee Stempniak believes Simashev hasn’t even scratched the surface of his development and wants to keep pushing him to be the best defenseman he can be.

“He skates well, he’s going to defend well,” Stempniak said. “The big thing for me was that puck play looks like it’s taken another level, and it’s fun to see because you never know. He’s a young guy in the (Kontinental Hockey League) on a championship team, so the expectations little bit different, his role is a little bit different. I think he has a higher ceiling than we’ve seen, and we’re gonna push him to get there.”

Simashev wanted to improve on his play with the puck heading into development camp. He also wanted to improve himself as a leader and improve his chances of making the Mammoth roster in October. 

“I want to be a leader,” Simashev said. “I have a good background, two years in adult hockey, and to play in the NHL is the dream.”

While development camp isn’t a surefire way to earn yourself a roster spot, it is something to consider when thinking of giving a rookie a spot in the lineup. The additions of Nate Schmidt and Scott Perunovich in free agency do make Simashev’s path to the NHL harder, but the entire organization believes that he can do it. What he did in development camp proves he certainly has the skill to do so as well.

Tij Iginla Looking Good After Double Hip Surgery

After playing 21 games with the Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets last season, Iginla went down with a major hip injury. He ended up needing double hip surgery, which he still hasn’t fully recovered from, as he was limited in his minutes at development camp and did not play in the camp-ending scrimmage. However, he did impress when he was on the ice.

For a guy who wasn’t 100%, Iginla skated hard and impressed the staff who were watching him. There were concerns going into development camp about Iginla’s health, especially because it was one of the first times he was back on the ice since the injury, but his performance over the week relieved the Mammoth staff.

“You always worry about your young guys when they go through that type of thing,” general manager Bill Armstrong said. “Now that you see him out there, and you see him moving, and he’s back to normal, you get really excited. I just saw him as he walked past, and he was giddy; he’s really excited about being here.”

The other thing that Armstrong mentioned was the fact that Iginla had so many other first-rounders around him during camp, including his fellow 2024 draftee, Beaudoin. It provided an opportunity for Iginla to learn from how they play. 

Iginla says he’s been focused on recovering, which includes stretching to try to be ready for next season. He feels nearly 100% but is grateful he was able to get back on the ice during this week in Park City, especially after a couple of months recovering from his injury.

“A lot of work that goes into that side of things, and a lot of boring days and repetitive stuff,” Iginla said. “When I was in those first few months (of recovery), I just wanted to get back here. Super grateful to be here.”

Iginla also used his recovery time to watch as much hockey as he could, especially players like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, to try to study and replicate their game. Stempniak is always impressed with how much hockey he watches and says it’s a way Iginla can get ahead of the game going into rookie camp and training camp.

“He is obsessed with hockey and I say that in the best way possible,” Stempniak said. “He’s watching video, he’s asking questions. He wanted to know what type of systems we are going to play next year in Utah, so he can get a leg-up, so in training camp, he’s already seen it.”

For Iginla, getting back on the ice was huge. After being away from the sport he loves for so long, it’s an immense amount of joy for him to even just skate in Utah and prove he is still one of the best prospects in the Mammoth’s system.

“It was so tough being off the ice and out of the game for that long,” Iginla said. “Now it just feels kind of like I’m back home in a way.”

Cole Beaudoin Pressing for a Roster Spot

When the Mammoth traded up to select Beaudoin, everyone understood why. He’s a hardworking physical center who can produce. However, maybe best of all, he’s already a very mature leader despite being so young. It’s something that fits the Mammoth mold well.

Over the past year, Beaudoin has gotten bigger thanks to hours in the gym and somehow even more mature. He speaks like someone twice his age and shows clear leadership. It wouldn’t be surprising if he ended up with a letter on his jersey one day.

“His work ethic jumps off the charts,” Stempniak said. “He’s always been strong. We can tell he’s putting work in the gym to turn that strength into hockey strength, as we call it. He’s got a non-stop motor. He just never gives up. He’s a big, strong guy. He’s hard on the puck. Now it’s getting to the point where that strength has come in.”

Beaudoin had a good development camp that was capped off by a two-goal scrimmage. His effort won him the Award of Excellence. While Beaudoin is honored to win the award, his goal now is to make the Mammoth’s opening-night roster in October.

“I’ve always been saying just day after day, putting in work, and for them to recognize that it means a lot, and it’s not going to stop,” Beaudoin said. “I’m going to keep, keep working hard this summer so I can make the team.”

Beaudoin said that since the last development camp, he feels faster and his body frame feels better adjusted for the NHL. The Mammoth coaches have worked hard with him over the past year to help him succeed not just in juniors but also, potentially soon, in the NHL.

While development camp isn’t something that will land a player a roster spot immediately, it is something that will help their game and maybe even play a part in eventually getting a spot on the Mammoth. For Beaudoin, his strong camp could be the start of him potentially playing in Salt Lake City for the foreseeable future.

Other Notables

It’s always fun seeing how prospects play in development camp because, for 95% of fans, reporters, and staff, it’s the first time they’re able to see these players in person. Outside of Beaudoin, Simashev, and Iginla, there were some other players in Salt Lake City this past week who were definitely worth mentioning.

Owen Allard and Noel Nordh were used a lot together during the scrimmage. Allard, in particular, had a strong camp, scoring a goal in the scrimmage. He has a wicked shot and is very mature about his development. He told reporters that he knows he can’t be a primary scorer in the NHL, so he’s working on becoming a good role player, which includes being more physical.

“Allard’s skating just jumps off the chart,” Stempniak said. “He’s so explosive in straight lines that it’s a huge advantage for him, where he’s able to get a step on a guy and take pucks to the net. He tested really well. He’s really fit, which is good.” 

Allard went on to win the Fittest Player award along with Cal Thomas. Nordh looked good as well on the ice, recording two assists. It wouldn’t be surprising if Tucson Roadrunners head coach Steve Potvin reunites the Soo Greyhound teammates on a line together in their first full seasons in the AHL.

“Noel is a smart player,” Stempniak said. “He has a really good understanding of his role and plays a pro game already where he’s getting pucks and moving them and going to the right areas of the ice. For him, just continue to work on his skating and adjusting. It’s a big jump going from junior hockey to pro hockey. For both guys, you’ve got to have a strong rest of the summer, and we’ll see them in training camp.”

Samu Bau, who was a sixth-round pick in 2023, came into the scrimmage and made sure reporters remembered his name. He scored a goal in the scrimmage while also scoring a goal in the shootout. The Mammoth gave him the Most Improved Player award. Bau is still unsigned, so he’s going to have to have a strong season overseas if he wants to have a future in North America. He’s entering the third season without a contract, which means if he’s still not signed by the summer of 2027, his rights will expire with the Mammoth.

Daniil But had a decent scrimmage, scoring a goal. While he wasn’t as impressive as his former KHL teammate Simashev, he still had a decent camp. Stempniak says he has to get stronger due to his size, but his game and confidence are great.

“He’s confident with the puck,” Stempniak said. “You’re always looking to make a play. He was really good last year. He’s been good this year. I think a challenge for him at his size is gonna be continuing to get stronger. He’s big, he’s strong as it is, but he’s got to get stronger. When he gets on the pucks, it’s hard. Guys are gonna be able to get underneath them and sort of leverage them that way. Using his size to his advantage, some of that’s gonna be adding more strength. So when he’s over the pocket, guys can’t get underneath him.”

It still wouldn’t surprise me if Simashev and But are in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Tucson Roadrunners for a decent chunk of the season. With the Mammoth going out and acquiring Schmidt, it means they have all of their NHL regulars from last season, with the exception of subbing out Michael Kesselring for Schmidt. They also brought back Nick DeSimone as a reliable seventh defenseman. It would probably be better for Simashev to play top-pairing minutes in the AHL rather than playing bottom-pairing minutes at the very most in the NHL.

The same goes for But. The Mammoth did lose Josh Doan, Nick Bjugstad, and Michael Carcone, but also brought in Brandon Tanev and J.J. Peterka. It also opens up playing time for Liam O’Brien and Kailer Yamamoto. Rather than playing bottom-six minutes or being a healthy scratch, But should head down to Tucson to play top minutes and learn from the players and staff there.

When it came to the newest Mammoth draft picks, Desnoyers looked solid during the first two days of camp but did not play in the scrimmage, more than likely due to his wrist injury. Pšenička looked solid as well, but definitely needs some more time in Portland with the Winterhawks. However, he had fun during his first week in Utah.

“It was a lot of fun playing with all these guys,” Pšenička said. “A lot of new friends, really good friends. We had a lot of fun.”

A player who came out of nowhere and impressed was camp invitee Nathan Lecompte. He went undrafted this year, probably because of his size and height. However, in camp, he used that to his advantage. He snuck around defensemen and is able to receive passes and turn them into a goal thanks to his nice hands.

He reminds me of a player like Yamamoto, who is often overlooked because of his height but is a very skilled guy. In 56 games with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, he had 49 points, which was fourth-best on the team, while his 35 assists were tied for second . With his strong camp, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Mammoth kept tabs on Lecompte, especially because we know how much Armstrong likes his QMJHL players.

Finally, there were a couple of negative notables. Michael Hrabal had a decent camp, but he didn’t look great in the scrimmage. Going back to UMass will certainly be great for him, especially with the Mammoth’s logjam in net. Jonathan Castagna didn’t participate in a lot during camp due to injury, which is disappointing after a mediocre season with Cornell. Finally, I expected guys like Terrell Goldsmith to stand out during camp. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

A Good Scrimmage

As per usual, the Mammoth ended their development camp with a prospect scrimmage. This year, it was a little different as it took place at the Olympic Oval as opposed to the Delta Center, which is undergoing renovations. Only season ticket holders and youth hockey players were invited, but they did pack the small practice center.

The actual scrimmage was mainly four on four but switched to three on three in the final couple of minutes of the second half. The two teams ended the scrimmage tied with each other as Team Black got goals from Simashev, Bau, Vojtěch Hradec, and two from Beaudoin. Meanwhile, Team White got goals from Allard, But, Tomas Lavoie, Matthew Morden, and camp invitee Carson Harmer.

The two teams went on to play an extended shootout. Stepan Hoch scored first for Team Black, but Bau, Hradec, and Tanner Ludtke each scored to win the scrimmage 8-6 for Team White.

It wasn’t an easy scrimmage. There’s a reason why guys like Iginla and Desnoyers didn’t play. It was physical, and it was clear the players wanted to win. Overall, it was a chance for players to put everything together that they learned this week in development camp.

“Guys wanted to win,” Stempniak said. “You could hear them on the bench. They were playing hard. It was fun to see a culmination of all the hard work we did all week. The skills and a couple of goals were a direct result of things we worked on this week, and they implemented the game. It was a lot of fun.”

Why Development Camp Matters

Development camp is such a weird event in the NHL calendar. It’s smack dab in the first week of July, which is during free agency and right after the draft. It’s also the last event until rookie camp in September, so it’s usually disregarded by many.

While development camp shouldn’t be used to gauge if a player is making the team, it is an important time for everyone involved.

For the staff, they get to work with these prospects and tell them how they can improve. Especially going into a long two months without any hockey, it’s important for the Utah staff to meet with all of these players and tell them what they should be working on.

It’s also important for the staff to bring these prospects to Utah. It gives them a chance to see the place they’re working hard to play in and gives them some hunger to be on the team. It also gives them a chance to connect with the community, which is important, especially for a young team like the Mammoth.

“We want them thinking about here when they’re not here,” Mammoth president Chris Armstrong said. “We want them thinking about being here. We want them desiring to be here. We want them to understand what the opportunity is like to be here and to be a part of this organization, to be part of this community. The beauty of Utah is self-evident. But what I really think makes this market stand out is the community, the passion, the excitement that our fans show for our team.”

For Europeans and other players who haven’t been to North America, development camp also provides a chance for them to see what the continent is like, so when they come back for rookie camp, which is arguably more important, they’re more comfortable.

“The more comfortable they are, the better they’re gonna play,” Stempniak said. “I can think of a bunch of guys, the second time they come back, they’re a different person. They’re so much more comfortable…A big thing we talk about is just getting guys into the Utah experience, Salt Lake City, and seeing what it’s like. They get to meet management, get to meet the coaches, and see them around. So when you come to your first training camp, it’s familiar there.”

For someone like Beaudoin, who has been at development camp before, it provides a way to meet all of his potential future teammates, along with further developing his game and confidence. Speakers and coaches at development camp definitely help him with that.

“There’s so much information with meetings, people coming in, speakers on the ice,” Beaudoin said. “I think (the biggest takeaway is) just trusting my game and learning, listening, looking coaches in the eyes and taking in what they’re saying, so that when I go into a drill or go into a game, I can use that and trust myself and have confidence in myself to do well.”

For fans, it’s the first time they get to see a lot of these players live. For the media, it’s the first time they get to interview these players in person. It’s an important week for each group that is part of the hockey community.

Development camp is a big part of a player’s development. It’s a great time for the organization to also talk to these prospects and for the prospects to learn what life is like in Utah and in the Mammoth organization. Stempniak believes that it’s a critical week for everyone involved as well especially with the numerous first-round draft picks the team has in the system.

“It’s a really important touch point for us because, for the new draft picks, it’s the first time they’re around our organization,” Stempniak said. “It’s really important for us from a cultural perspective. This is what it means to be a Utah Mammoth, to form that bond with players. It’s fun to see them come back year after year and have that bond with each other. From a teaching-on-ice perspective, it’s a time for us to actually get on the ice and work with guys and devote those one-on-one or small group sessions to them. When they go back to the other teams, we have this foundation. We have the terminology. We have a video database. We have things to draw upon throughout the year to help.”

Development camps aren’t mandated by the NHL’s CBA, but almost every single NHL team does them because they’re a great way to catch up with the prospects and provide further insight on their development. The Mammoth’s second-ever development camp was another big success for the team and their prospects. Overall, simply put, it was a good and useful time for everyone.

“There’s been a lot of things that I learned from this camp, which was very positive,” Pšenička said. “It’s been a lot of fun this week.”

The next Mammoth event, which is rookie camp, doesn’t take place until September. From there, the Mammoth will head up to Highlands Ranch, Colorado, to participate in the rookie showcase, where they’ll face off against the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche.