SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Mammoth played Vegas tough in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They were two overtime wins away from taking that series.
The players were upset when they lost in six games, but now, over a month later, that disappointment has turned into motivation after watching the Golden Knights advance all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.
"I think seeing Vegas advance hurt out group, in a good way." said Utah Mammoth general Manager Bill Armstrong. "There is a little bit of pain there for us. We've got to make sure that when we are in a series like that, we knock it out of the ballpark, and we finish it off. I think there is some growth for our team in that."
Armstrong feels that type of motivation is a good thing for the players after getting a taste of the playoffs.
"100 percent, said Armstrong. "When everyone departed, and we had our final exit interviews, there wasn't excitement; they were pissed, and they were disappointed in what happened. They had that hunger to go back, and they want to take the next step, so I felt really good as the GM that they walked out that door knowing they were upset, knowing they could have done more. That will help fuel them for their summer training and coming back with a little extra bite."
It's another big offseason for the Mammoth. They have the 19th pick in this month's NHL draft, and they'll be active in the free agent and trade markets, as they continue to build a championship contender.
"It's really about being all-in on the offseason for us," said Armstrong. "We've always had that thought process to try to get better every single day. You come in trying to crush it every day and trying to improve the team. That's been our quest the whole time through, and that's why you've seen us evolve and get a little bit better each year. We are looking to do the same thing next year."
It's a big offseason for the players as well. Not just the returning players, but the young, first-round picks who are hoping to take their spot on the team.
"We've got some young talented kids coming in, along with some of our other kids, Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley, making sure they are in the right training program in the summer," said Armstrong. "We want to take a step next year. Our goal is to get into the playoffs and push the group and see how far we can go."
