NHL draft: Utah Mammoth select young winger, trade Peterka for goaltender
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- Ethan Belchetz, center right, stands with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the Utah Mammoth in the first round of the NHL draft on Friday, June 26, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y.
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- Detroit goalie Sebastian Cossa makes a save in preseason game against Chicago on Oct. 1, 2022, in Chicago.
Adrian Kraus, Associated Press
Ethan Belchetz, center right, stands with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the Utah Mammoth in the first round of the NHL draft on Friday, June 26, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Utah Mammoth drafted six players, including an 18-year-old left winger in the first round, and traded a rotation staple to help acquire a young goaltender as the NHL held its annual draft Friday and Saturday.
Here’s a rundown of how the Mammoth spent the two days on the future of the team’s roster.
PETERKA TO BOSTON
Just before the draft began, Utah traded right wing JJ Peterka to the Boston Bruins for two draft picks — one year to the day from when the Mammoth traded with Buffalo to acquire Peterka.
Boston sent Utah the No. 23 pick in this year’s draft and a conditional first-round pick in 2028.
Peterka played all 82 regular-season games for Utah in the 2025-26 season, totaling 25 goals and 22 assists.
Paul Beaty, Associated Press
Detroit goalie Sebastian Cossa makes a save in preseason game against Chicago on Oct. 1, 2022, in Chicago.
“I would like to thank JJ for his commitment to our organization,” said Bill Armstrong, general manager of the Utah Mammoth, in a news release. “JJ is a great person and will be a dynamic player for Boston.”
BIG, YOUNG GOALIE
The Mammoth then sent that 23rd pick to Detroit for 23-year-old goaltender Sebastian Cossa. Cossa is a 6-foot-7 goalie who played 81 games over the last two seasons with Grand Rapids in the AHL.
“We are thrilled to add another big, athletic goaltender to our organization,” Armstrong said in a news release. “Sebastian is a talented goalie and we are excited to see what he can accomplish with our club.”
FIRST-ROUND PICK
Utah’s first choice of the draft came with the 17th pick in Friday’s first round. The Mammoth selected 18-year-old left wing Ethan Belchetz from the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League).
Belchetz is currently set to play college hockey at Michigan State for the 2026-27 season. He’s a 6-foot-5 wing who was named the OHL Cup MVP in the 2023-24 season after leading Oakville to the championship by totaling five goals and six assists over seven playoff contests.
In two seasons with Windsor, Belchetz totaled 51 goals and 46 assists in 113 games.
FIVE MORE PICKS
Utah did not have a second-round pick and selected five more players — three forwards, one defenseman and one goaltender — from Rounds 3-7.
Those selections are:
Adam Valentini: With the 96th overall pick, coming in the third round, the Mammoth took University of Michigan freshman forward Adam Valentini. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound forward recorded 11 goals and 16 assists in 40 games to help Michigan win the Big Ten title.
Carl Axelsson: At No. 115 overall (fourth round), Utah drafted 19-year-old goaltender Carl Axelsson, who’s set to play college hockey next season at Minnesota-Duluth. In 2025-26, Axelsson played for Muskegon in the USHL, where he totaled a 28-14-1 record, allowing a 2.48 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage in 44 games.
Theodor Knights: Swedish defenseman Theodor Knights, 18, came next with pick No. 130 (fifth round). The 6-foot-4 player was with MoDo, a junior club in Sweden’s top junior league.
Florent Houle: With pick No. 147 (fifth round), the Mammoth took 18-year-old Quebecer forward Florent Houle. With Sherbrooke in Quebec’s junior league, he totaled 19 goals and 22 assists in 52 games.
Artem Prima: Utah used its last pick, 211 overall (seventh round), to draft Russian forward Artem Prima. The 18-year-old spent 17 games with Omaha in the USHL this past season, totaling six goals and eight assists.
