SportsHockeyComedy

SLC Puck!

Austin Facer

SLC Puck! Powered by BigTuskEnergy.com From the mountains to the madness on the ice, SLC Puck is your go-to podcast for all things Utah hockey. Hosted by Austin Facer — part fanboy, part chaos agent — we cover the Utah Hockey Club, the NHL, the local youth leagues that keep the dream alive, and everything in between. Think Last Week Tonight meets SportsCenter. Twice a week, we bring you hot takes that will age terribly, and a whole lot of local hockey love. If it skates in Utah, we’re talking about it — sometimes with actual insight. Streaming on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever hockey nerds hang out. Potential advertisers can inquire at austin@slcpuck.com

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23 episodes
Avg 34 min
English

Episodes 23

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Today · 40 min
Connor Hellebuyck Changes Utah
Connor Hellebuyck formally requested a trade, and Austin’s whole argument is simple: Utah has to at least explore it. Not because Karel Vejmelka isn’t good, but because Vejmelka was pushed into 64 appearances last season and a Hellebuyck-Vejmelka tandem would instantly change how seriously the league talks about the Mammoth. The episode walks through the actual thought exercise: move Sebastian Cossa, attach first-round picks, clear cap by moving Kevin Stenlund, and suddenly Utah looks a lot more like a real Stanley Cup threat than a cute playoff team. Austin still thinks Buffalo is probably the favorite, but the point is that a team serious about winning has to make the call. Subscribe for more SLC Puck and listen to the full episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
Wednesday · 36 min
Utah Mammoth Bold Predictions
The main question in this episode is pretty simple: what actually happens to the Utah Mammoth this season, not what we hope happens. Austin and Sam make three predictions each, and the biggest thread is obvious — Utah needs a real plan behind Karel Vejmelka after he played 64 games last year, because asking him to carry that kind of load again feels like a good way to wilt by spring. They also get into whether Andre Tourigny survives the season, why Logan Cooley feels like a real All-Star skills candidate, and why 99 points might be the honest prediction even if everybody wants to say 100. Plus: the unexpectedly intense Delta Center concessions discourse, including Cafe Rio over Costa Vida and Apollo Burger invading Crown Burger territory. Subscribe for more and listen to the full episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
Sunday · 29 min
Tij Iginla Is 77
Austin found a real little jersey-number scoop at the Mammoth Ice Center team store: Tij Iginla jerseys are already being pressed with No. 77, not 12. After Tij wore 12 in earlier Mammoth appearances, this looks like the clearest sign yet of what he’ll wear when he reaches the NHL roster. My read is simple: this is Tij trying to forge his own path. He wore 11 with Kelowna, Dylan Guenther already has 11 in Utah, and 77 opens up after JJ Peterka was moved out. More than anything, I think passing on Jarome Iginla’s famous 12 says Tij wants his own story. Subscribe for more weird little Mammoth breadcrumbs and listen to the full episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
August 21 · 33 min
Utah Mammoth Plates Are Here
The Utah Mammoth license plates are officially here, and honestly this is the exact kind of offseason content gift I live for. Austin digs into the new DMV plate, the $25 initial contribution, the six-character vanity limit, and the deeply important civic duty of using government records to make strangers laugh in parking lots. Then it turns into a full-blown brainstorming session: ASMAN, OUTLAW, YETIS, SLC PUK, PUCKME, BIG TSK, VEGGIE, ARCHIE, GUNNER, and more. It’s weird, extremely Utah, and exactly what late-night SLC Puck was built for. Subscribe for more and listen to the episode now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
August 20 · 46 min
Utah Mammoth Need an Edge
Austin digs into The Hockey Guy’s Utah Mammoth season preview and lands on a take that feels very Utah: being liked is nice, but being feared is better. The big stat that set him off was Utah getting just 0.42% of the vote as the NHL’s most hated team. From there, it turns into a challenge for the two young stars. Austin wants Dylan Guenther to score 45 goals and drop the gloves once, and he wants Logan Cooley to turn 54 hits in 54 games into 100 hits over an 84-game season. A little more villain energy, please. Subscribe for more SLC Puck and listen to the full episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
August 16 · 26 min
Delta Center Makes It Real
Austin’s argument in this one is simple: Utah Mammoth season doesn’t just feel close on the calendar, it feels close because the Delta Center is visibly transforming right now. He talks through Ryan Smith’s August 13 arena photos, the stacked party deck, the absurdly steep new section, and why year three might give Utah its third straight opening night that feels historic in the room. He also says goodbye to the original Sugar House SLC Puck studio, shouts out Eric Jensen for the text that sparked the episode, and leans into the bigger idea that this team is changing weekends, downtown Salt Lake, and sports culture across Utah. Subscribe and listen to the full episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
August 10 · 42 min
Vincent Trocheck Changes Utah
Austin breaks down Vincent Trocheck’s positioning, faceoff ability, and why his veteran game could help Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
August 7 · 47 min
Caleb Desnoyers Changes Everything
Caleb Desnoyers left the World Junior Summer Showcase needing help off the ice after a brutal collision, and that’s the whole story right now for Mammoth fans. Austin breaks down the clip, why it looked so alarming in real time, why he doesn’t think Wyatt Cullen meant to injure him, and why this still feels like a massive, infuriating setback for a fourth overall pick who was supposed to be pushing toward Utah. He also gets into the worst part of it: we may not get a real update until rookie camp in September. That uncertainty is what makes the whole thing so maddening, especially when leg and knee injuries can mess with a player’s development at exactly the wrong moment. Subscribe for more SLC Puck and watch or listen to the full episode above. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
August 2 · 41 min
JJ Peterka Wasn’t the Fit
Austin goes deep on why the JJ Peterka era ended so fast in Utah, and why this feels less like a total player failure and more like a role problem that got worse as the season went on. The numbers are rough: 68 points in Buffalo dropped to 47 in Utah, his power-play production cratered from 18 points to 5, and he finished the playoffs with zero points in six games. There’s also the bigger trade picture now. Utah gave up Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring to get Peterka, then flipped Peterka to Boston in the deal path that eventually brought back Sebastian Cossa and a future first. Austin’s grade for the whole Peterka era: a flat C. Subscribe and listen for the full breakdown. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
July 30 · 41 min
Logan Cooley Is Close
The argument in this episode is pretty simple: Logan Cooley already has the tools to be a superstar, but if he’s going to make the jump, he has to shoot more. Austin points to Cooley’s 99th-percentile speed, his 23 points in 29 games before the injury, and the fact that he still only projects to about 1.89 shots per game on an 82-game pace. That’s not enough for a player this explosive. There’s also the bigger Utah Mammoth angle here. If Cooley stays healthy, locks in a bigger power-play role, and spends real time with Dylan Guenther — maybe with Anders Lee doing the dirty work — Austin thinks the breakout changes the whole trajectory of the team. Subscribe for more SLC Puck and listen to the full episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
July 28 · 33 min
Tom Wilson Is Utah's Villain
The Athletic said the Utah Mammoth don’t have a real villain yet. I’m sorry, but that is simply not true. In this episode, I make the case for Utah’s first true hockey villain and run through the receipts: Tom Wilson’s 30 penalty minutes against Utah, Alexei Toropchenko’s knee-on-knee hit on Logan Cooley on November 29th, and the January 9th Jack McBain fight at Delta Center that felt like Utah collecting a debt. I also get into Brett Howden’s four-goal playoff pain for Vegas and why local fans know this team’s history better than the national guys do. Subscribe and listen if you’re ready to argue about who Utah should hate most. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
July 26 · 32 min
Utah Mammoth Best Home Games for 2026-27 Season
Austin ranks the five can’t-miss Utah Mammoth home games for 2026-27: the Winter Classic, Vegas, Ovechkin, Florida, and Celebrini. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
July 25 · 27 min
The Mammoth Should Feel Lucky
The Utah Mammoth might already be the envy of some NHL fan bases. On this episode of SLC Puck, Austin uses the Vancouver Canucks as the ultimate contrast point. Reports say Canucks ownership wants to cut payroll by as much as $20 million, even with the NHL salary cap rising to $104 million. This is the same Vancouver team that finished dead last last season with just 58 points — 14 behind the next-worst Chicago Blackhawks — and still didn’t land the Gavin McKenna lottery win. Meanwhile, Utah is heading into year three with Ryan Smith spending money, the Delta Center renovation on the way, playoff hockey already in the rearview mirror, and a clear mandate to chase something real. Austin also gets into why comparison can actually bring a little joy, why Mammoth fans should still keep the pressure on, and why concerns about moves like the Vincent Trocheck trade, Barrett Hayton’s role, and the backup goalie situation haven’t magically disappeared. This one is part gratitude, part rant, part reminder: things are pretty good in Utah — but that doesn’t mean the hunger should go away. SLC Puck is powered by BigTuskEnergy.com CONNECT WITH SLC PUCK! 🤝 Patreon ➡️ https://www.patreon.com/slcpuck 🛍️ Merch ➡️ https://www.bigtuskenergy.com 🤑 SLC Picks (DFS) ➡️ https://www.slcpuck.com/t/slc-picks 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/slcpuck 🎥 TikTok ➡️ https://tiktok.com/@slcpuck ✳️ Spotify ➡️ 🐦 Twitter ➡️ https://x.com/slcpuck 👍 Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/slcpuck ☕️ Buy Me A Coffee ➡️ https://buymeacoffee.com/slcpuck This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
July 25 · 34 min
Utah Mammoth Have A Logjam at Center
Six centers, four spots. Austin breaks down where Vincent Trocheck, Barrett Hayton, Logan Cooley, Nick Schmaltz, Kevin Stenlund and Jack McBain fit—and who gets pushed to the wing. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
July 23 · 33 min
Lawson Crouse Is On the Clock
John Marino got paid, so the pressure moved. Austin ranks Bill Armstrong, André Tourigny and contract-year Lawson Crouse, then breaks down Utah’s 100-point expectation, the Vincent Trocheck and Sebastian Cossa bets, Crouse’s shrinking runway and the best beer deal inside the Delta Center. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
July 22 · 32 min
John Marino Owes Nate Schmidt Dinner
John Marino just cashed in with the Utah Mammoth — and I think Nate Schmidt deserves a little thank-you present for helping make it happen. On this episode of SLC Puck, I break down Marino’s massive 8-year, $54 million extension and why Utah clearly believes he’s a long-term top-four piece. Marino is coming off a career year: 80 games played, 4 goals, 32 assists, 36 points, and a plus-42 season after averaging more than 20 minutes a night. That’s a huge jump from the 35-game, 14-point season he had the year before. The biggest reason? That second pair with Nate Schmidt was absolutely lights out. Marino and Schmidt played 991 five-on-five minutes together, posted a 56.3% expected goal share, allowed just 2.19 goals against per 60, and finished plus-29 in actual goal differential as a pair. I get into why Schmidt’s arrival helped unlock Marino’s best season, why this contract makes sense with the cap rising, and why the JJ Moser contract comp is a really interesting wrinkle when you look back at the Mikhail Sergachev trade. Also: I open the show by showing some love to firefighter and Utah Puck Report host Jay Stevens after the end of that KSL Sports chapter. A true Utah hockey guy. SLC Puck is powered by BigTuskEnergy.com CONNECT WITH SLC PUCK! 🤝 Patreon ➡️ https://www.patreon.com/slcpuck 🛍️ Merch ➡️ https://www.bigtuskenergy.com 🤑 SLC Picks (DFS) ➡️ https://www.slcpuck.com/t/slc-picks 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/slcpuck 🎥 TikTok ➡️ https://tiktok.com/@slcpuck ✳️ Spotify ➡️ 🐦 Twitter ➡️ https://x.com/slcpuck 👍 Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/slcpuck ☕️ Buy Me A Coffee ➡️ https://buymeacoffee.com/slcpuck This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
July 21 · 33 min
Utah Mammoth Playoff Race Just Got Harder
The Utah Mammoth got better this offseason. The problem is a bunch of the teams behind them did too — and that’s what makes this playoff chase feel a lot more dangerous. On this episode of SLC Puck, Austin breaks down why Utah’s path back to the postseason may be tougher than fans want to admit. Nashville added names like Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Nils Hoglander and Alexander Kerfoot. St. Louis brought in Mason McTavish, Brandon Carlo and Connor McMichael. San Jose added Michael Kesselring, Jacob Trouba, Mason Marchment and Darnell Nurse, plus drafted Ivar Stenberg with the No. 2 pick. If Utah is aiming for 100 points, that still looks a whole lot like wildcard territory. Austin also digs into the Mammoth’s brutal late-season schedule, including an April run against Anaheim, Vegas, Winnipeg, Dallas, Dallas and St. Louis. He also compares that stretch to what Nashville and Winnipeg have down the stretch, and explains why those head-to-head games could decide everything. SLC Puck is powered by BigTuskEnergy.com CONNECT WITH SLC PUCK! 🤝 Patreon ➡️ https://www.patreon.com/slcpuck 🛍️ Merch ➡️ https://www.bigtuskenergy.com 🤑 SLC Picks (DFS) ➡️ https://www.slcpuck.com/t/slc-picks 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/slcpuck 🎥 TikTok ➡️ https://tiktok.com/@slcpuck ✳️ Spotify ➡️ 🐦 Twitter ➡️ https://x.com/slcpuck 👍 Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/slcpuck ☕️ Buy Me A Coffee ➡️ https://buymeacoffee.com/slcpuck This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
July 20 · 34 min
The Utah Mammoth and the Road to 100 Points
Bill Armstrong said it out loud: the Utah Mammoth want 100 points next season. The question is whether this roster can actually do it. On this episode of SLC Puck, Austin breaks down the real roadmap after Utah finished 43-33-6 with 92 points last year. Even with the NHL moving to an 84-game schedule, Utah’s same 0.561 points percentage would only get them to about 94.2 points. That means the Mammoth still need to find roughly six more points somewhere, and that’s where this gets interesting. Austin looks at where Utah stole points last season against teams like Colorado, Dallas, Vegas, and Toronto, and where they flat-out gave points away against bad teams. The big offenders? A winless season series against the Chicago Blackhawks, a rough showing against the Calgary Flames, and dropped points against the San Jose Sharks. He also maps out the season month by month, with a brutal October and November, a critical January-February window, and a tough finish in March and April. There’s also a bigger conversation here about risk: Vinnie Trocheck needing to justify the move, Sebastian Cossa needing to be better than Vitek Vanecek in backup duty, and the young core like Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, Clayton Keller, and Nick Schmaltz needing to stay healthy. If Utah is going to hit 100, they have to stop donating points and start punishing weak teams. SLC Puck is powered by BigTuskEnergy.com CONNECT WITH SLC PUCK! 🤝 Patreon ➡️ https://www.patreon.com/slcpuck 🛍️ Merch ➡️ https://www.bigtuskenergy.com 🤑 SLC Picks (DFS) ➡️ https://www.slcpuck.com/t/slc-picks 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/slcpuck 🎥 TikTok ➡️ https://tiktok.com/@slcpuck ✳️ Spotify ➡️ 🐦 Twitter ➡️ https://x.com/slcpuck 👍 Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/slcpuck ☕️ Buy Me A Coffee ➡️ https://buymeacoffee.com/slcpuck This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
July 16 · 35 min
Utah Mammoth Schedule Breakdown: Winter Classic, Opening Night and Key Games
The Utah Mammoth schedule is out, and yeah... April 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights already feels absolutely feral. On this episode of SLC Puck, Austin breaks down the full 2026-27 Utah Mammoth schedule month by month, from Opening Night against the Chicago Blackhawks on October 1 to the Winter Classic against the Colorado Avalanche on December 31 at Rice-Eccles Stadium. He digs into the brutal early road-heavy stretch, the six-game trip from late October into mid-November, and why simply staying around .500 early would be a huge win. There are also some massive dates to circle at Delta Center: Toronto on October 13, Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 19, Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on January 29, and Florida on February 26. Austin also explains why January could be the Utah Mammoth’s biggest chance to stack points with nine home games and a six-game homestand. Plus, a little hockey-related facial damage, because apparently that’s how we’re opening the show now. SLC Puck is powered by BigTuskEnergy.com CONNECT WITH SLC PUCK! 🤝 Patreon ➡️ https://www.patreon.com/slcpuck 🛍️ Merch ➡️ https://www.bigtuskenergy.com 🤑 SLC Picks (DFS) ➡️ https://www.slcpuck.com/t/slc-picks 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/slcpuck 🎥 TikTok ➡️ https://tiktok.com/@slcpuck ✳️ Spotify ➡️ 🐦 Twitter ➡️ https://x.com/slcpuck 👍 Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/slcpuck ☕️ Buy Me A Coffee ➡️ https://buymeacoffee.com/slcpuck This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com
July 15 · 26 min
Anders Lee Is A Mammoth Now
Anders Lee is a huge pickup for the Utah Mammoth — literally and stylistically. On this episode of SLC Puck, Austin breaks down who Lee is, why Utah gave the former New York Islanders captain a 3-year deal worth $5.4 million AAV, and why his game fits a very specific Mammoth need. Lee spent 14 NHL seasons with the Islanders, played 923 games, scored 308 goals, and served as captain for the last 8 seasons. He also won the 2024 King Clancy Trophy and helped raise more than $2.5 million for families affected by cancer. But the biggest on-ice number in this episode might be this one: 107 high-danger shots last season, including 86 from right outside the crease and 21 from inside it. Utah needed more net-front offense, more dirty goals, and more power-play jam. That’s why this signing matters. Austin also gets into the funniest and most fascinating part of Lee’s background: the man was a legit high school quarterback at Edina in Minnesota, with more than 2,000 passing yards and 1,100 rushing yards in his senior year before choosing hockey at Notre Dame. Plus, why it says something real that Lee chose Utah over other suitors — including the Minnesota Wild. SLC Puck is powered by BigTuskEnergy.com CONNECT WITH SLC PUCK! 🤝 Patreon ➡️ https://www.patreon.com/slcpuck 🛍️ Merch ➡️ https://www.bigtuskenergy.com 🤑 SLC Picks (DFS) ➡️ https://www.slcpuck.com/t/slc-picks 📸 Instagram ➡️ https://instagram.com/slcpuck 🎥 TikTok ➡️ https://tiktok.com/@slcpuck ✳️ Spotify ➡️ 🐦 Twitter ➡️ https://x.com/slcpuck 👍 Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/slcpuck ☕️ Buy Me A Coffee ➡️ https://buymeacoffee.com/slcpuck This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.slcpuck.com

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