Mikhail Sergachev understands that words, too, are part of the game. In one of his most recent statements, he outlined the Utah Mammoth’s defensive strategy for the upcoming season, indicating the team aims to create chaos and make opponents realize just how tough it is to play against them.
“We want to be tough to play against,” Sergachev stated. “We want to get a lot of shots through, help our forwards down there, create a lot of chaos…” This is part of the defensive plan the Mammoth is preparing for the season.
But the defense won’t just be focused on stopping pucks; they’re also ready to contribute offensively. Sergachev wants to defend and help win games, noting, “…during the rush we want to be fast, mobile, hard to play against.”
Mammoth Aims to Elevate Defense After Solid Season
The Utah Mammoth’s defense was respectable last NHL season, a point Sergachev probably knows. The team allowed an average of 3.01 goals per game and 27.71 shots per game. While those numbers aren’t poor, there is clear room for improvement this season.
Head Coach André Tourigny commented on the defensive upgrades being implemented for the new campaign. “Because the guys are more structured, now the details pop a little bit more… We’ll keep doing a lot of structure drills but at the same time we want to have some pace, some execution.”
The team’s regular season opens on the road against Colorado. Last season, the Mammoth managed to secure one win in Denver during their final two matchups in December. However, they recently dropped two consecutive games to Colorado during the 2025 preseason.