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Tess Crowley, Deseret News
The Utah Mammoth have released their 2026 preseason schedule. It goes as follows, with all start times listed in MDT:
- Sunday, Sept. 20 @ Colorado Avalanche, 5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Sept. 22 @ Los Angeles Kings, 8 p.m.
- Thursday, Sept. 24 @ Vegas Golden Knights, 8 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 26 vs. Colorado Avalanche, 3 p.m.
As is the case with every team in the NHL, the Mammoth will play fewer preseason games this year than they did in previous seasons. The NHL is extending the regular season from 82 games to 84 and cutting the preseason to make room for it. Under the former system, teams could choose to play between six and eight preseason games.
Sept. 26 will mark the public’s first look at the new-and-improved Delta Center, which is currently undergoing its second year of an anticipated three-year renovation.
This year’s renovation focuses on the north/northeast end of the arena, closest to the home bench for both hockey and basketball. Smith Entertainment Group is installing a tiered terrace seating system to open the sight lines for fans in the upper bowl.
They are also adding “gondolas” on both sides of the arena to hold extra fans. Additionally, the parking garage, which has been under construction since summer 2025, will be completed this year.
At a press conference during the first round of the playoffs, team owner Ryan Smith said it was possible that the renovations could delay the availability of the building at the beginning of the 2026-27 season — similar to the New York Islanders’ delays in the 2021-22 season.
The Islanders began that season on a 13-game road trip, factoring into the team missing the playoffs despite having reached the Conference Final in each of the two previous seasons.
This preseason schedule means that the Mammoth — and, by extension, the Utah Jazz — will not have to go through a similar situation.
The Mammoth’s 2026-27 regular-season schedule will be released at a later date.
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Isaac Hale, Deseret News
