Caleb Desnoyers may be young and at the start of his career, but the 18-year-old has already put together quite the resume. In 2023 with Team Quebec, Desnoyers won bronze at the Canada Winter Games, which showcases the best under-16 players in Canada. He was also a member of Team Canada White and won gold at the 2023 U17 World Hockey Challenge.The next year, Desnoyers won gold with Canada at the U18 World Championship. Last season, Desnoyers secured his third international gold with his home country at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
His success isn’t limited to the international level. In fact, Desnoyers has had an impressive junior hockey career with the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL). Last season, Desnoyers helped the Wildcats win the franchise’s third QMJHL Championship. During his team’s playoff run, Desnoyers scored nine goals and contributed 21 assists for 30 points through 19 games. His clutch performance earned him the Guy Lafleur Trophy, the QMJHL’s Playoff MVP award. In addition to those postseason honors, Desnoyers was also on the QMJHL’s First All-Star Team, was named QMJHL Personality of the Year, and received the Mike Bossy Trophy which goes to the QMJHL Best Professional Prospect. Not too bad for a player at the start of his career.
The amount of success Desnoyers had going into the 2025 NHL Draft added to why he was a top prospect. Harnessing that experience allowed the forward to develop a strong mindset surrounding his game.
“It’s a mentality,” Desnoyer explained. “First thing my coach, Gardiner MacDougall, told me last year was that the one thing you can’t buy in the hockey world is experience. So far in my young career, I’ve had the chance to be a winner. It’s something you bring with you, a mentality you develop through some experience. Fortunate to have that chance so far.”
To no one’s surprise, Desnoyers was picked up quickly at the 2025 Draft. The Utah Mammoth used their fourth-overall selection to add Desnoyers to their prospect pool. Two days after he was drafted, Desnoyers was in Salt Lake City at the start of his first NHL development camp. Even though he had just achieved a lifelong dream, the forward was already focused on getting better.
“To work on myself,” Desnoyers said on his goals with the Mammoth. “I never put limits on myself. Always try to reach the biggest goals. But obviously I’ll have to make a plan with the whole staff but it’s mainly to enjoy the week here, have some fun, show who I am, and not put pressure on myself.”
Utah Mammoth General Manager Bill Armstrong knew that Desnoyers had an opportunity with his first official development camp to learn what it takes to be successful at the NHL level, a future step in his career.
“Just to absorb it,” Bill Armstrong, Utah’s General Manager, explained on camp. “It’s a whirlwind for him … this is his dream. Most of the kids that come in here, they’re so excited, they’re absorbing everything. To come around and get to know some of the trainers, our staff, and really dig in to what it’s going to take to make the NHL, he’ll learn that at development camp.”
As Desnoyers will look to fight for a spot on Utah’s main roster over the next few years of his career, his competitive nature will help him in that pursuit.
“That desire to win is the thing that makes me so competitive,” Desnoyer discussed. “I hate losing, but it’s mainly that I love winning so much. Just always so hungry, never satisfied, and it’s something that I think if you want to improve and be the best player that you want (to be) and so competitive, it’s something that you need. Always starving.”
