Update (2:07 p.m. ET, Thursday): Edmonton’s probable starting goalie for Thursday’s game against Utah has changed from Tristan Jarry to Devon Levi, according to official data. Karel Vejmelka remains Utah’s probable starter, meaning the Mammoth vs Oilers Devon Levi starter matchup replaces what had been a Vejmelka-Jarry pairing.
The Utah Mammoth vs Oilers Thursday matchup opens a home-and-home series between two of the Western Conference’s hottest early-season teams, with puck drop at Rogers Place set for 9 p.m. ET. Utah brings a 5-2-0 record and the NHL‘s top power play into Edmonton, while the Oilers enter at 5-0-1 and sitting second in the Pacific Division. It’s the first of two meetings in three days between these clubs, with the series shifting to Salt Lake City on Saturday.
Utah Mammoth Vs Edmonton Oilers Game Information
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 15
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Venue: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
- TV/Streaming: ESPN+, Utah 16
- Series: First of a home-and-home set; the teams play again Saturday in Salt Lake City
Can Utah’s Power Play Keep Carrying The Offense?
Utah’s man advantage has been the engine of its fast start. The Mammoth have scored 10 power-play goals through their first seven games, tops in the league among the figures tracked in official data. Combined with 51 assists and 78 points as a team through their season totals, Utah’s offense has produced even with a modest 12.3% shooting percentage overall.
Nick Schmaltz leads the club with nine points and six goals, while Clayton Keller paces the team with eight assists. Utah’s faceoff percentage sits at 52.5% on the season, with 219 shots attempted as a team, a sign of puck pressure that has backed up the power-play numbers.
Who Starts In Goal After Edmonton’s Switch?
Karel Vejmelka is listed as Utah’s probable starting goalie for Thursday, the same designation he carried into the series before the Oilers’ change. Devon Levi is now Edmonton’s probable starter, replacing Tristan Jarry in that projected role, according to the official data. Both designations remain projections until warmups, per the data’s own note on probable starters.
Edmonton’s defense will work in front of Levi without several regulars. Jake Walman is out with an upper-body injury and a return date of Oct. 17, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins remains on injured reserve with a lower-body injury carrying the same target return date. Zach Hyman is out with an undisclosed issue also targeted for Oct. 17, while Jason Dickinson is day-to-day and Colton Dach remains on injured reserve.
How Have Both Teams Trended Into This Series?
Edmonton has won five straight games, outscoring opponents 24-12 over that stretch, including a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. The Oilers sit 5-0-1 overall and second in the Pacific Division with 11 points, trailing only Vegas.
Utah returned home after a five-game trip through the eastern part of the country, finishing 3-2-0, including a 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. The Mammoth sit atop the Central Division with 10 points on a 5-2-0 record. Vejmelka made 22 saves in that win over Toronto.
What Is The Key Matchup To Watch?
Utah’s power play against Edmonton’s penalty-killing discipline could decide the game. The Mammoth have scored 10 power-play goals on the season, a rate that would punish any team forced to take penalties against this lineup. Edmonton has allowed 18 goals against through its first six games with a .885 save percentage as a team, numbers that suggest the Oilers can ill afford to give Utah extra opportunities with the puck.
Connor McDavid leads all skaters in the matchup with 17 points and 13 assists, and Vasily Podkolzin leads Edmonton with seven goals. Utah’s defense has allowed 19 goals against this season with a .888 team save percentage, figures that will be tested by Edmonton’s top-end scoring regardless of who starts in net for the Oilers.
What To Watch
This is the first meeting of a home-and-home set, with the second game Saturday in Salt Lake City. Utah’s Michael Carcone remains out with an upper-body injury targeted to return Oct. 24, and Maveric Lamoureux is on injured reserve with a shoulder injury with a return date listed as Feb. 12, 2027. The two teams meet again Saturday at 8 p.m. MT in Salt Lake City to close out the home-and-home set.
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