As the Utah Mammoth continued their mission of being ‘community obsessed,’ this principle continued during development camp. On Monday and Tuesday, as the prospects were practicing in Park City, both on-ice sessions were open to the public. On Thursday, when Utah hosted an intra-squad scrimmage at the Olympic Oval, local youth hockey players and their families filled the stands.
Whitney Romrel was one of the many hockey moms in attendance. She brought her son and his friend to watch the Mammoth prospects in action. Romrel’s son Emery started playing hockey at five, and now seven years later he gets to see his state’s NHL team.
“It’s pretty cool because these boys look up to them and it’s just fun,” Romrel said. “It’s nice that (the Mammoth) wants to include them.”
Keith Maynerd’s son started watching hockey last year and had the chance to see the future of his team live in person.
“Noah broke his back about a year and a couple months ago,” Keith Maynerd shared about his seven-year-old son. “During his recovery, that’s when he started watching hockey. So, the chance that he gets to see young players helps him on his journey.”
An NHL team has had a significant impact on the community in Utah. For Hannah McGhie, a local hockey mom, being able to show her five-year-old son the best players in the world and the up-and-coming prospects has been an amazing experience.
“It means so much,” McGhie smiled. “He started hockey at the right time. When he first started, we didn’t have a team (in Utah) and then all of the sudden we now have an NHL team. It means a lot and it gives him (an opportunity) to see the best of the best. Best of the best in your backyard. That means a lot to him too."
That excitement isn’t limited to just the hockey community. In fact, McGhie has seen the Mammoth reach even more people outside the sport.
“Outside of the hockey community, you weren’t really hearing much about it from my friends, from work,” McGhie explained. “But now everybody’s so hyped, everybody’s talking about it, everybody’s talking about high school teams now, it’s been great.”
Since the beginning, the Utah Mammoth have focused on being a welcoming environment for the hockey obsessed and the first-time fans. Maynerd has seen and felt that through his own experience.
“I feel like hockey is one of the most inviting sports out there,” Maynerd reflected. “When you go to a hockey game, people wrap their arms around you and they’re happy you’re there. They want you to be there and to experience the magic of hockey. (With) Utah this past year, going to games, everyone from the staff to the fans have just been so welcoming.”
