The Utah Mammoth, along with the Nashville Predators, who beat them 4-3 on Monday night, are the most represented teams at the 2026 World Junior Championship (WJC) in Minnesota.
The Mammoth are already an incredibly young and talented team after stockpiling prospects over the last handful of seasons, and they have started to see some players fully blossom, with Dylan Guenther on pace for a 35-goal season, in his fourth campaign, but only his second full season in the NHL, and a similar pace for Logan Cooley before his injury.
While the Mammoth have seven prospects representing their nation at the WJC, it will still be a while before we see most of them make an impact at the NHL level. However, Tij Iginla is showing in this tournament that he’s ready for the big league.
Tij Iginla’s Road to the World Juniors
Iginla was drafted sixth overall by the Utah Hockey Club in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft after scoring 47 goals and 37 assists for the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League, leading up to the draft. In that season, he also scored nine goals and 15 points in 11 WHL playoff games, and averaged two points per game for Team Canada at the Under-18 World Championship.
Tij Iginla, Utah Hockey Club (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Since his draft year, Iginla has battled injuries. Coming into Utah’s inaugural training camp in Salt Lake City, he was rehabbing an injury and was only able to play in their final two preseason games. It was a similar story this season when he only suited up for one of the Mammoth’s exhibition games.
However, he has fit right in, totaling 12 shot attempts, eight shots, five scoring chances, and two high-danger chances (via Natural Stat Trick). After returning to the WHL last season, Iginla scored 14 goals and 32 points in 21 games before his season-ending injury. He was on pace for a 103.6 point season if he were able to play all 68 games on the Rockets’ schedule.
Now this season, he has 13 goals and 27 points in 27 games, a 108 points per 68-game pace. Not to say this season in the WHL will hinder his development, but it’s at the point where he needs a bigger challenge to continue growing as a player after this season.
Iginla is one of the Most Productive Players at the World Juniors
Through the round robin portion of the WJC, Iginla has ranked sixth in ‘game score’ tracking among all players at the tournament, according to Ryan Ma, a regional scout for Dobber Prospects.
While he isn’t among the tournament leaders in points or goals, he has two goals and three assists through four games. Iginla has been impacting the game in many ways, forechecking, winning puck battles, and using his body to keep plays alive in the offensive zone.
Iginla has looked like one of the most complete players at the tournament, and seeing him control the game playing with and against the best prospects in the world has solidified the idea that he would have been prepared for the NHL this season.
Iginla Ready for the Next Level
It’s hard to criticize the Mammoth for not taking a shot and letting Iginla get a taste of real NHL action after training camp. He was not entirely healthy, and the Mammoth is icing the most competitive team the organization has seen since their days as the Arizona Coyotes.
It would have been tough to say where he could have consistently fit into the lineup, and now that he has returned to the WHL, he is not eligible for recall until the Rockets’ season ends. The team is expected to make the playoffs, so that basically rules out any chance of Iginla putting on a Mammoth jersey this season.
If nothing else, Mammoth management can count on Iginla for next season and go into the offseason knowing he will be a part of the team’s future. This will be massive for general manager Bill Armstrong and his staff, who have several decisions to make about key players, including Nick Schmaltz, Barrett Hayton, and others whose contracts are set to expire.
Related: Nick Schmaltz Doesn’t Have a Future With the Utah Mammoth After Next Season
While Iginla may not be putting up jaw-dropping offensive numbers at the World Juniors, his game feels very mature compared to his peers. He’s controlling the pace, making smart decisions, and playing a physical game. He has become a much more complete player, along with his elite shot release and puck skills, which made him a high draft pick.
It won’t happen this season, but Iginla’s ready for the NHL. He will be a massive asset for Armstrong, knowing they can count on Iginla next season, as they navigate a complex offseason ahead.
