Utah Mammoth’s 2025-26 Report Cards: Kevin Rooney

Despite scoring a goal in his lone NHL game with limited playing time, Rooney didn’t appear in another game with the Mammoth during their Midwest road trip. He was eventually sent down to the AHL for the fourth time at the beginning of December, clearing waivers to do so.

Rooney played three games with the Roadrunners, scoring a goal before being called up to the NHL again. A week of practices didn’t get the forward into any games with the Mammoth before he was sent back down to the AHL.

Between Dec. 18 and Jan. 11, Rooney appeared in nine games with the Roadrunners and produced three points, including the overtime winner in the second game of a series against the Iowa Wild. Up in the NHL, Alex Kerfoot was placed on injured reserve by the Mammoth, which resulted in Rooney being called up.

Eight days later, the forward found himself back down in Tucson. However, in his first game back, Rooney sustained an injury that forced him to miss six games. He made his return at the beginning of February in a game against the Reign, scoring a goal.

Rooney played the entirety of February with the Roadrunners. In eight games, he produced nine points, including a three-point outing against his former team, the Calgary Wranglers. He also had a four-game point streak leading into March. In his second month fully exclusive to the Roadrunners, Rooney only produced four points in 12 games.

In April, the forward played the first game of the month with the Roadrunners before being recalled by the Mammoth. He was with the Mammoth for eight days and was sent back down to the Roadrunners. Rooney played his final game of the season against the Eagles in Colorado before rejoining the Mammoth a day later.

Rooney stayed with the Mammoth for the final few games of the season before the playoffs began. Throughout the postseason, Rooney was a big part of the locker room, doing his best to help the younger guys adjust to the playoff grind, which he had previously experienced during the 2021-22 season with the New York Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference Final. However, the Mammoth eventually fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in six games, ending the forward’s season with just one NHL game under his belt.

The Future

Now that we’re into August, a lot of the players who were under contract with the Mammoth last season have their future decided, whether it’s back with the team or elsewhere. That isn’t so much the case with Rooney.

We do know for sure Rooney will be back within the organization. The forward signed a one-year AHL deal with the Roadrunners in early July. However, he is still eligible to sign an NHL contract with any team, including the Mammoth. If teams run into depth issues during the season, Rooney might be an intriguing name to look at. 

Reflecting on Rooney’s season, a lot of his success was out of his hands. He was this season’s Yamamoto, being sent up and down between the Mammoth and Roadrunners all year long. Because of the forward being on the move so much and being a healthy scratch for most of his time up in Utah, he missed out on a lot of games. Playing consistently is something Rooney really prides himself on, and being held to only 45 games between the two teams was something he regretted.

“There were parts of the season that were tough because I was going up and then not playing for a couple weeks and then coming back down and getting thrown right into it,” Rooney said. “There were parts that I had to learn and grow because I like to take pride in playing a lot of hockey games. That’s something I’m gonna talk to Potsy about this year. Trying to play a lot more games because I think I only finished with like 40-something.”

Judging Rooney’s play during a lot of the season is hard to do as well. As he mentioned, a lot of the time when he was returned to the AHL, he played in a game with the Roadrunners that same day. Sometimes, he was recalled by the Mammoth right after a game. That gets to be really hard on a person’s body and mind with all of the traveling.

Arguably, Rooney deserved to play in more than one NHL game. He always had a good attitude when he was called up and sent down. He played well with the Roadrunners and played solidly in his one NHL appearance, in which he scored a goal. Despite only getting the one NHL game, Rooney wasn’t frustrated with the Mammoth; rather, he was grateful for the opportunity and the treatment of his family.

“They treated me with a ton of respect, my family with a lot of respect,” Rooney said. “It was tough with the up and down and up and down all year, and they always made sure my wife and daughter were taken care of. I’m definitely grateful for that.”

Heading into the 2026-27 season, the ultimate goal for Rooney is to eventually earn an NHL contract and role again. Returning to the Roadrunners might be the best opportunity for the forward to do so. He’s back on a team where he knows the systems well, has played and fit in well alongside the players on the team, and he’s extremely valued by the team. Rooney talked highly about his time in Tucson. To be back on a team he loves and feels comfortable on is big.

Another great thing about signing an AHL deal with the Roadrunners is that Rooney won’t have to worry about traveling to and from Tucson with call-ups. That will allow him to play more games and also create less time away from his family. Both things will help him have a less chaotic season.

Instead of waiting for the last minute for an NHL opportunity to find him like last season, returning to Tucson on an AHL deal creates an opportunity for him to have a big season with the Roadrunners, which could ultimately lead to an NHL deal. Unlike last summer, Rooney already knows where he’ll play this season and is prepared to play as much as he possibly can.

“I feel like I got a good setup this year, with going to Tucson,” Rooney said. “Obviously I know the coaching staff there really well, and those guys are super excited too for me to go back and help me get back to the NHL, and that’s the ultimate goal.”

Final Grade

It probably wasn’t the ideal season for Rooney, only appearing in 45 games all season and constantly traveling all year long. It’s also hard to judge his season considering he was thrown into games repeatedly after being sent down to the AHL. 

However, considering all of the challenges and his production, Rooney had a pretty solid season. Outside of a disappointing March, he was one of the Roadrunners’ best forwards and was a great veteran addition to help mentor guys like Daniil But. He always showed up to either Utah or Tucson with a smile and a willingness to play and help the team. The forward’s one NHL appearance that ended with a goal also leaves some thought that Rooney still can be an effective depth forward in the league.

Overall, Rooney is getting a B for this season. Similar to Yamamoto the year prior, he served his role as depth NHL forward/AHL key contributor perfectly. Although it hasn’t led to an NHL contract yet, like Yamamoto, it has given him a place where he can comfortably and effectively prove that he’s still an NHL player come next season.

Going into next season, Rooney is expected to be one of the key parts of a very young and good Roadrunners team. With guys like Tij Iginla, Caleb Desnoyers, and Gabe Smith all expected to spend some time in the AHL, the forward will play a hand in their development, acting as a mentor and a teacher along with a good line partner. It’s something Rooney has said he wants to do as he begins a hunt for an NHL job again.