Utah Mammoth Centre Having a Difficult Start to Season

After having career-highs in goals, assists, and points last season, Utah Mammoth centre Barrett Hayton is having a tough start this year. Despite playing on a line with captain Clayton Keller and Utah’s leading scorer Nick Schmaltz, Hayton still can’t seem to find his groove. His work ethic and defensive reliability are still there, but the offensive struggles have been evident. With the Mammoth battling in a hotly contested Western Conference, Hayton rediscovering last season’s form could be the key for the rest of Utah’s 2025-2026 campaign. 

Barrett Hayton’s Offensive Woes Continue

The Mammoth started this season strong, but have slumped recently. Utah is 9-7, or eighth in the Western Conference. They had a seven-game win streak snapped at the end of October. However, Hayton hasn’t played much of a role for Utah yet. In 14 games, the 25-year-old centre has just four points while averaging 16:02 of ice time. Although his Corsi For% % at even strength is 58.5, points have been hard to come by for the former 2018 fifth-overall pick. 

As a centre in Utah’s top six, Hayton’s expected to generate offence in some way, especially playing with Keller and Schmaltz. Utah doesn’t have much depth up the middle, so this certainly puts pressure on him. The only thing that’s been going right for Hayton has been faceoffs. He’s won 80 and lost 74, which comes to 51.9%, the best on the Mammoth. Hayton finished last season with a higher number at 54.1%. There’s no doubting his defensive prowess and abilities in the faceoff dot, but forwards need to implement their offensive skills into the games as well. 

What Needs To Change 

Hayton’s current play hasn’t been up to par with what he’s capable of, especially compared to last season. The biggest thing that he needs to change is his offensive mindset. Hayton has just 22 shots on goal, a shooting % of 9.1, and only 39 shots attempted. 15 of those attempts are from low-danger areas. First, he has to start taking more shots, because getting the puck on net never hurts. Every shot attempt increases the chance of creating offence, whether it results in a direct goal or a rebound. If a goal isn’t scored, it could simply keep the opposing team pinned in their own zone, leading to more chances. Hayton also has to find the dirty areas on the ice, whether that’s net-front or in the slot. 

Hayton last recorded a point in his 300th career game on October 28.