The Utah Mammoth have one of the most dynamic, exciting forward groups in the NHL and their defensemen are proving to be more than the sum of their parts.
But without consistent goaltending, it’s hard to win. That was the case in Utah’s 5-3 loss to the Seattle Kraken Thursday.
It began on an unfortunate bounce for Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka. A Jordan Eberle shot deflected off Vejmelka’s pad, off the end boards, off Vejmelka’s back and into the net.
Thus began the Mammoth’s evening of catch-up.
They tied it up near the end of the first period, only for the Kraken to take the lead again 26 seconds later. Seattle extended its lead in the second period and though Utah managed to tie it up in the third, the home team got its lead back before the clock expired and added an empty-netter for good measure.
“When we played with pace offensively and we had a lot of speed, we had success, but when we slowed down and tried to make plays through them, that’s how they counter-attacked and that’s how they had success,” said Mammoth head coach André Tourigny after the game.
It’s difficult not to look to Vejmelka as the problem in this one. It was another blemish on an uncharacteristically slow start to the season for the Czech net-minder.
Utah did an excellent job at simply not letting shots get through in the third period, but of the four that did get through, Vejmelka let two of them in (one was revoked after an offside challenge).
After Thursday’s game, his goals saved above expected sits at -4.4, according to HockeyStats.com. That’s the eighth-worst of any goalie in the league, including backups.
Rookie Sebastian Cossa hasn’t been much better in his turns between the pipes, though that’s not entirely unexpected for a rookie goalie making his first trip around the league.
Again, the Mammoth are skilled enough to outscore their problems much of the time, but that’s not a viable formula to win in the NHL.
All that said, it’s only been 11 games. Vejmelka and Cossa both have plenty of time to turn things around. Their teammates have helped them into a position where they still lead the Central Division standings, so it’s not time to panic.
Vejmelka was exactly what Utah needed in its first two seasons and the fans love him, but that doesn’t mean you don’t explore your options. General manager Bill Armstrong frequently says that his job is to wake up every day and find ways to make the team better. Right now, the way to do that is to examine the goaltending position — and there happens to be a future Hall of Famer who’s looking for a new home.
Connor Hellebuyck has backstopped the Winnipeg Jets through thick and thin for a decade, thrice winning the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goalie, in addition to the Hart Trophy as the league MVP. His biggest accomplishment came at the Olympics in February, when he single-handedly lifted Team USA to its first gold medal in nearly five decades.
Sometime after returning from Milan, Hellebuyck requested a trade. It has yet to be granted, and for that reason he has chosen to sit out to this point in the season.
A number of national-level insiders have reported that Armstrong and the Mammoth are interested. Few teams have as deep of a prospect pool as Utah. If the belief is that the team’s Stanley Cup window is open, securing the most important position might be a wise move.
It doesn’t come without downsides, though.
Hellebuyck is 33 years old and is under contract until 2031. Some elite goalies decline later in life than skaters, but if you don’t believe he’ll be in his prime for most of that window, you shouldn’t make the trade.
He also makes a lot of money, compared to Vejmelka. Trading Vejmelka in or after this deal would free up enough cap space to take Hellebuyck, but it doesn’t leave much room for future moves.
If a move becomes necessary, it won’t be easy on Vejmelka. He has been outspoken about his love for Utah — particularly its vast array of outdoor activities — and he just got an intricate tattoo to show that love.
That’s the business side of professional sports, though.