Before you can three-peat as champions, you have to make the playoffs. The Florida Panthers have fallen behind in the NHL's packed Eastern Conference race, needing victories to climb back into the top eight. Florida will try to improve on its 28-20-3 record by defeating the visiting Utah Mammoth this Tuesday at 7 p.m. EST.
It's a strange story that the Mammoth and Panthers have virtually tied records, but it's no big surprise that the remodeled Mammoth have done well on their eastern road swing. Head coach Andre Tourigny's team had a five-game win streak snapped by the Tampa Bay's elite squad in a 2-0 loss on Monday evening.
Tuesday's betting action will be fun to observe. Florida's odds will appeal to casual fans. Those who follow trends may prefer bets on 27-21-4 Utah, which has scored five or more goals in four of its last six games.
Spread
- Panthers -1.5 (+163)
- Mammoth +1.5 (-170)
Money line
- Panthers -144
- Mammoth +138
Total
- Over 6.5 (+104)
- Under 6.5 (-117)
Note: The above data was collected on Jan. 27, 2026, and may have changed since writing.
Florida Panthers vs Utah Mammoth Betting Trends
- Each club has won six of its last eight contests.
- Utah is 2-5-0-1 on the second of back-to-back game nights this season.
- Florida is 3-0 against Utah since the latter franchise was rebranded.
Florida Panthers vs Utah Mammoth Injury Reports
Florida Panthers
- Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
- Defenseman Seth Jones is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
- Centerman Aleksander Barkov is on injured reserve with a knee injury.
- Winger Jonah Gadjovich is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
- Winger Tomas Nosek is on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Utah Mammoth
- Centerman Logan Cooley is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
- Centerman Alexander Kerfoot is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
Florida Panthers vs Utah Mammoth Predictions and Picks
The Panthers front office is itchy enough about the crowded playoff race to be making phone calls. Florida wants to make trades to bolster this spring's lineup, but faces "obstacles" as blogged by Julian Gaudio of The Hockey News. General Manager "Bill Zito is handicapped by their current salary cap situation and captain Aleksander Barkov's health." Barkov expects to return, but maybe not until the postseason.
For now, the Panthers are staying in the hunt thanks to the exploits of new arrivals. Defenseman Tobias Bjornfot, recently called up from the AHL, scored the first two tallies of his NHL career in Florida's 5-1 win over Chicago from Sunday night. Matthew Tkachuk is a more familiar skater, but he's been missing until recently in 2025-26, and his return strengthens the co-captaincy while restoring a playmaker to the mix.
Don't overlook Utah's gems like the versatile forward Nick Schmaltz, or the young sniper JJ Peterka. But the absence of ailing Logan Cooley at center places a burden on Utah's defense and goaltending to carry the team's quest, and Utah doesn't have a netminder as accomplished as Sergei Bobrovsky. Watch for the Panthers to beat a Mammoth lineup that's tired from a dizzying road trip.
