The game of hockey, like all sports, is filled with unlikely heroes. Most of the time, it is the superstars who have a reputation for coming up clutch. However, we are here to talk about the heroic performances that seem to come from nowhere. An unlikely hero can step up and chip in with a massive, Stanley Cup Playoff series-clinching goal, or maybe it is a season-long performance, the likes of which will never be seen again. These unlikely heroes become a part of hockey history. Today, we bring you our Last Word on Hockey summer series, as we look at the Utah Mammoth unlikely heroes.
Photo Credit © Dom Gagne/Cal Sport Media
Some wonder what makes an unlikely hero. It can be a player who comes with a massive improvement out of nowhere. An unlikely hero can step up and chip in with a massive goal or a shutout that wasn't expected. It can also be a player who steps up and has a season to remember. An unlikely hero can be a player who's a youngster who gives a breakthrough performance. It can also be a star player who gives one last flash of greatness.
Although Utah's entering just their third season as a franchise (second with the Mammoth name), there are still a few players that match the criteria of an unlikely hero.
Karel Vejmelka was a late bloomer in the NHL. Selected in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators , Vejmelka left HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga and signed a free agent deal with the Arizona Coyotes. He waited six years before finally making his debut at age 25 in October 2021.
The Coyotes were stuck in a long rebuild, and Vejmelka's game struggled as a result. Meanwhile, issues within the organization, coupled with the unsuccessful effort to secure a new arena ultimately led to the team's sale. However, once they moved to Utah, Vejmelka's numbers significantly flipped in his favour. Clearly, the change of scenery to a new franchise did wonders for his game. During the 2025-2026 season, Vejmelka finished with a record of 38-20-3 and made a career-high 64 appearances. According to Statmuse , it was the most games played among all NHL goaltenders. He was also the first to reach 30 wins
On April 9, the 30-year-old stopped 29 out of 30 shots in a 4-1 win over the same team that drafted him, the Predators. With that and a San Jose Sharks defeat, the Mammoth clinched their first-ever Stanley Cup playoff berth. They eventually lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in six games, but without Vejmelka, the Mammoth wouldn't have even made the postseason. Vejmelka played an important role between the pipes.
With four years remaining on his contract, Vejmelka's unquestionably the number one choice for the Mammoth. He rose from an unknown free agent, to the go-to guy in both Arizona and Utah. Fresh off his best season to date, Vejmelka should continue seeing a heavy workload for the Mammoth. It's safe top say that, he's proven himself as one of the league's most durable goaltenders.
Kailer Yamamoto may be one of the more unlikely heroes in the entire NHL, here's why.
After being selected in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers , Yamamoto went on to have a few productive seasons in Edmonton. Then he made his way to Utah in 2024. However, he mostly played in the minors to start, having suited up in just 12 NHL games. That all changed the next season when Yamamoto was given a chance to make the roster out of training camp. The 5-foot-9 winger did just that and earned a full-time spot on the Mammoth after he impressed in preseason. Yamamoto finished the year with 23 points in 59 games while averaging just 11:48 of ice time.
Most minor leaguers already in their late 20s don't get another shot at an NHL job. Yamamoto defied the odds. With so little playing time, he upped his game and became an important part of Utah's successful season. Yamamoto also had a hand in the playoff-clinching win against the Predators by scoring the game's first goal. He and Vejmelka were key to that victory.
It's tough for us to pick a moment for Yamamoto, so let's talk about how he did in the playoffs with Utah. Yamamoto finished the postseason tied with five other Mammoth skaters for the team lead in scoring. He recorded five points across six games. Clayton Keller , Dylan Guenther , and Nick Schmaltz also had five points, so that's good company for Yamamoto. He also averaged about six fewer minutes of ice time than that trio. The moment, or moments in this case are the multiple playoff games where Yamamoto was impactful, including a pair of assists in Game 2.
As a pending unrestricted free agent, it was unknown whether Yamamoto would return to the Mammoth once the season ended. However, Utah obviously felt losing the 27-year-old for nothing after the year he had wouldn't make sense. So, the Mammoth agreed to a well-deserved two-year extension with Yamamoto before the free agency period opened. There aren't too many open spots in Utah's middle-six, so Yamamoto will have to continue being effective in that role.
Our choice for honourable mention is Lawson Crouse .
Unlike Vejmelka, Crouse's first year in Utah was very difficult. After three consecutive 20-plus goal seasons, Crouse finished with just 12 goals and 18 points in 81 games during 2024-2025. However, the former 11th-overall pick of the Florida Panthers in 2015 bounced back in a big way this past campaign. Crouse tied his career-high in goals with 24, as well as 20 helpers. He had only six the year before. Both his shooting percentage was a full 7.5 percentage points better and his offensive point share sky-rocketed from -0.2 to 3.1.
Like Yamamoto, Crouse played well during the 2026 playoffs. The 29-year-old also had five points, including two goals in Utah's Game 3 win, which gave them a 2-1 series lead. Loyalty and leadership is what makes Crouse an unlikely hero. He stuck around Arizona for eight seasons, and stayed with the Mammoth despite his disappointing performance two years ago. It's unknown whether Utah tried to trade Crouse, but he never requested a move out of Utah. Instead, he worked on his game and rediscovered his confidence, which helped his team reach the postseason.
Main Photo Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
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