When defenceman Sean Durzi describes the culture within the Utah Mammoth locker room, he points to a harmonious team built on trust, resilience and a shared belief.
The enormity of the achievement – Utah earning a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in franchise history –is not lost on the group that secured the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, setting up an opening-round series with the Vegas Golden Knights.
“This is a tight group,” said Durzi. “Guys care, compete and love being around each other. There’s a quiet confidence in the room, nothing forced, just belief. When things get tough, we don’t get away from it, we just lean on each other more.”
With the first two games of the series taking place in Vegas with the series tied at one game apiece, both Durzi and forward Kailer Yamamoto are expecting a raucous reception when the series shifts to Salt Lake City on Friday.
"People love this team and they love our sport," said Kailer Yamamoto, who notched two assists in Game 2. "You notice it more and more every day. Our locker room is buzzing, but so are the fans. It's getting louder and louder every game – it's great to see. And it really gets you pumped, especially at this time of the year."
Add in that Utah is just the third team in the last 45 years to make the playoffs within its first two seasons – joining the Vegas Golden Knights (2017–18) and the Seattle Kraken (2022–23) – and it's no wonder the Beehive State is abuzz with hockey fever.
Durzi, who was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft before being traded by Los Angeles to the Arizona Coyotes in June of 2023, is looking for his team to capitalize on the support of their fan base as the series switches to Utah.
"You can definitely feel it building. Everywhere you go, people are talking about it, showing support, and getting behind us. It gives you a boost. As players, you want to give the state something to rally around, and right now it feels like everyone’s all in with us."
Durzi is leaning on an uncomplicated formula to be at his most impactful against the Golden Knights.
"For me, it’s just bringing energy, passion, and competing every night," said Durzi, who signed a four-year contract with Utah on June 30, 2024. "Being someone the guys can rely on and making plays when they’re there. Just a guy my teammates trust and can feed off of when things ramp up."
Yamamoto, who scored 13 regular-season goals for the Mammoth, is utilizing a two-pronged approach, specifically, relentless forechecking and creating scoring opportunities as his personal blueprint.
"I want to get in on the forecheck and I really want to be committed defensively,” said the 27-year-old, whose prior NHL postseason experience includes 34 playoff games with the Edmonton Oilers. “At the same time, I want to make plays and generate offence.”
Durzi, Yamamoto and their teammates have also been maintaining their competitive edge off the ice, playing a popular game on an 8×8 grid.
"We’ve been playing a lot of chess, which keeps that competitive side going, but in a different way," said Durzi. "I’ve been into playing guitar a lot. Outside of that, for me, it’s just being at home, having a coffee, getting outside, spending time with my teammates and people close to me."
Who holds rank as team chess grandmaster?
Not himself, admitted Yamamoto.
"I would say John Marino or JJ Peterka hold that chess master title. I haven't really been playing chess this year, just a couple of games. I wouldn't say I'm great. I used to play with my grandfather back in the day, but it's been about 15 years since I did it more regularly."
Dog walking is another story.
"I really enjoy spending time with my wife and our two dogs. One is a German Shepherd and the other one we rescued, a mix between a pitbull and a Great Pyrenees. We love taking them on walks. Other than that, I played a little Xbox and just unwind, take it easy."
Come puck drop, it’s the polar opposite for the Mammoth players.
"Everyone supports one another," said Yamamoto. "We are a fast, hard-working team that makes it hard on the other team's best players, going into those so-called dirty areas and doing the little things to win games. We all feed off each other's energy."
