It’s fall, the leaves are changing, and the NHL is finally back. Utah kicks off its 2026-27 slate with three games this week. Here are some storylines that you need to know heading into the week.
Main Storylines – Utah
- The Mammoth announced their opening night roster on Monday. Defenseman Dmitri Simashev and forward Daniil But both made the roster out of training camp.
- Utah went 2-1-1 during its four preseason games. Its most recent game was a 2-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
- Some new faces are set to make their Mammoth (regular season) debuts this week including forwards Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee.
Let’s take a look at this week’s matchups and storylines!
CHICAGO VS UTAH
OCT. 1 | 7:30 P.M. MT
WATCH: ESPN+, Hulu, Disney+
LISTEN: KSL Sports Zone (97.5FM), Sirius XM (Channel 226), KSL Sports App, NHL App, NHL.com
This is the first of four games between these Central Division opponents.
Season Series:
- Oct. 1: CHI vs UTA
- Dec. 12: UTA vs CHI
- Jan. 12: UTA vs CHI
- Mar. 19: CHI vs UTA
Main Storylines – Chicago
- This summer, Connor Bedard was named the 37th captain in franchise history; however, he remains sidelined from an offseason shoulder surgery.
- Bedard led the Blackhawks in assists (45) and points (75) last season while Tyler Bertuzzi’s 32 goals were a team-high.
- This is Chicago’s second game of the regular season. The Blackhawks will start their year in Vegas on Sept. 29.
- Chicago will travel to Buffalo and face the Sabres on Saturday, before returning home for the team’s home opener on Oct. 6.
UTAH VS COLUMBUS
OCT. 3 | 5:00 P.M. ET
WATCH: Utah16, Mammoth+
LISTEN: TBA
This is the first of two games between the Mammoth and the Blue Jackets.
Season Series:
- Oct. 3: UTA vs CBJ
- Feb. 17: CBJ vs UTA
Main Storylines:
- On Sept. 24, Columbus announced they signed center Adam Fantilli to a six-year, $82.5 million contract ($13.75M AAV).
- Last season, Zach Werenski’s 59 assists and 81 points were team-highs.
- The Blue Jackets open their season at home on Oct. 1. Saturday’s game against the Mammoth is their last game until Oct. 9.
UTAH VS NEW YORK RANGERS
OCT. 4, 4:00 P.M. MT
WATCH: Utah16, Mammoth+
LISTEN: TBA
This is the first of two games between the Mammoth and the Rangers.
Season Series:
- Oct. 4: UTA vs NYR
- Mar. 9: NYR vs UTA
Main Storylines:
- Sunday will be Vincent Trocheck’s first time playing his former team since he was traded to the Mammoth on July 1. It’ll also be the first time Sean Durzi faces the Mammoth.
- Mika Zibanejad led the Rangers with 34 goals, 44 assists, and 78 points last season.
- The Rangers start a two-game homestand with their game against the Mammoth. Sunday is New York’s third game of the week.
