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 Mammoth, the NHL, the local youth leagues that keep the dream alive, and everything in between. Think Last Week Tonight meets SportsCenter. Streaming on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever hockey nerds hang out. Potential advertisers can inquire at austin@slcpuck.com

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36 episodes
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English

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Yesterday · 37 min
Daniil But Stole The Show Against LA
LATE UPLOAD: RECORDED SEPT. 22, 2026 Daniil But was the biggest thing Austin could not stop thinking about after Utah’s 6-3 preseason win over the Los Angeles Kings. But finished with a goal, an assist, a game-high plus-3, three shots, a block, a hit, and zero giveaways. More than the stat line, he looked decisive, physical, and smart on basically every shift next to Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. This episode is built around one argument: But may have forced Utah’s hand. Austin breaks down why that Keller-Schmaltz-But line looked so dangerous, why But’s net-front work and puck movement stood out, and why this suddenly feels like a real opening-night possibility instead of a training-camp experiment. There’s also a little pushback even after a fun win. Karel Vejmelka allowed 3 goals on 22 shots, and Austin thought Utah’s odd-man rush coverage and Vejmelka’s left-to-right tracking still looked shaky. Plus: Liam O’Brien brought the usual chaos and scored, Anders Lee had two goals, and Tij Iginla flashed some swagger with a filthy postgame shootout finish. 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
Yesterday · 32 min
Maveric Lamoureux Made It Harder
LATE UPLOAD: RECORDED SEPT. 27, 2026 Utah’s first preseason game in Denver felt exactly like preseason hockey is supposed to feel: rusty, weird, sloppy, and just useful enough to tell us something. In a 4-1 loss to Colorado, the biggest thing Austin kept coming back to was Maveric Lamoureux making life harder on himself, especially after the blind backhand turnover that led directly to Beckett Hamilton’s goal. There were still real positives. Caleb Desnoyers won faceoffs, played physically, and didn’t look afraid of contact. Sebastian Cossa stopped 11 of 12 and looked like a backup you can live with. But if there was one guy whose night actually changed the conversation, it was Lamoureux — and not in the way he needed. Subscribe for more SLC Puck and listen to the full episode. 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
Sunday · 35 min
Daniil But Has a Real Shot
The most interesting thing in Mammoth camp right now isn’t just that preseason starts in Colorado. It’s that 21-year-old Daniil But got a real look with Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz, and Andre Tourigny basically admitted this is a legit evaluation window to see whether he’s ready now or still a few months away. But is 6-foot-6, 216 pounds, played 29 NHL games last year, and was nearly a point-per-game guy in Tucson with 39 points in 41 games. If he can do the simple top-line stuff Tourigny described — go to the net, open ice, forecheck, win loose pucks, and get his shot off faster — he might force his way into the opening-night conversation. Subscribe and listen for the full episode 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
September 18 · 36 min
Tucson Swagger feat. Chase Beardsley
Chase Beardsley joined me after Utah’s rookie showcase in San Jose, and the big takeaway was hard to miss: Dmitri Simashev looked like a guy with a real opening-night case. Chase loved the way he ran the power play, used his voice on the ice and wore the captaincy, and he thought Utah’s power play looked rough once Simashev sat in game three. We also got into why Tucson matters so much here. The Roadrunners aren’t just a holding pen. They’re a real development environment, and that matters for guys like Simashev and Daniil But, even if Simashev may be closer to Utah right now. Subscribe for more SLC Puck and listen to the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOG1PiRMk-k 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
September 17 · 31 min
Dylan Guenther Needs His Mattress
The funniest thing from Utah Mammoth media day was also somehow the most perfect snapshot of hockey life: Dylan Guenther showed up after sleeping on the floor because his mattress still hadn’t arrived. So yes, we got a real live millionaire goal-scorer getting sold out by Mattress Firm before breakfast. But the bigger takeaway was how settled this team sounds. Bill Armstrong talked about Utah’s depth and cap flexibility while other teams throw huge money at stars, and the whole day had a calm, serious, ready-to-work feel around the Mammoth. Subscribe and listen for the full media day 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
September 16 · 26 min
Trevor Lewis Comes Home
Trevor Lewis is back in Utah, and this is bigger than a feel-good alumni story. The Mammoth hired the Cottonwood Heights native and two-time Stanley Cup champion as a video scout and youth/amateur hockey ambassador, which means they’re adding somebody who knows exactly what winning looks like and actually cares what hockey becoming bigger here would mean. Austin gets into why Chris Armstrong’s line about Lewis knowing what it would mean to bring a Stanley Cup to Utah is the whole point. Lewis has already brought the Cup home before, he played 17 NHL seasons, skated in 1,034 career games, and now he’s putting that experience back into the state that made him. Subscribe for more SLC Puck, and listen to the full episode for the Trevor Lewis 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
September 15 · 26 min
Trevor Lewis Comes Home
Trevor Lewis is back with the Mammoth, and this is bigger than a feel-good hometown headline. Austin digs into why the Utah native, two-time Stanley Cup champion, and only Utah-born first-round NHL draft pick matters so much in a role that includes video scouting plus youth and amateur hockey development. This episode is really about what Lewis represents: somebody who learned the game at Cottonwood Heights, brought the Stanley Cup back to Utah, and now wants to help build the kind of hockey culture that could someday bring it back again for real. 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
September 14 · 36 min
Gabe Smith Crossed the Line
Vegas fans are furious, and honestly, I get why. Gabe Smith sent Trevor Connelly hard into the boards at the rookie showcase, got ejected at 10:33 of the second, then somehow added a second round of punishment in the fight that followed. It was not clean. It was not subtle. It was also the clearest sign yet that Utah’s system is done playing summer hockey. That’s the part I keep coming back to. Steve Potvin called it “big boy hockey,” Dmitri Simashev is wearing the C in San Jose, and the whole vibe around this team feels like guys are sick of hitting their own teammates and ready for something real. Opening night against Calgary is close enough now that even the weird little rookie games are starting to feel spicy. Subscribe for more SLC Puck and listen wherever you get your podcasts. 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
September 12 · 40 min
Brogan Houston on Rookie Camp
Brogan Houston from the Deseret News joined me to talk through the actual first-day rookie camp questions that matter: no Tij Iginla, no Caleb Desnoyers, what Dimitri Simashev’s role looks like, and why Mammoth fans should probably calm down a little on the Tij timeline. We also took a detour into one of the most beautifully random hockey stories imaginable: Brogan once worked on Carey Price’s vehicle at Kal Tire, recognized him from across the shop, and kept the work order like the sicko he is. Tremendous scene. Subscribe for more SLC Puck and listen to the full episode here. 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
September 10 · 34 min
Connor Hellebuyck to Utah? No.
The Connor Hellebuyck-to-Utah chatter sounds fun until you apply even five seconds of real-world logic. Austin breaks down why the Mammoth may have the assets on paper, but Bill Armstrong is not about to mortgage the future for a 33-year-old goalie on a massive deal after already paying a painful price to get Vincent Trocheck. There’s also the part the rumor machine keeps skipping: Winnipeg and Utah are in the same division. Why would the Jets trade their best player to a team they’d have to see in huge Central Division games for years? Austin says the whole thing is being stretched way past what was actually said, and yes, he puts his hair on the line if he’s wrong. Subscribe and listen for the full rant, the Delta Center detour, and the live-on-air head-shaving wager. 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
September 9 · 34 min
Dylan Guenther Can Hit 50
Austin lays out the math on Dylan Guenther’s path to 50 goals, starting with last season’s 40 goals in 79 games, 242 shots, and a 16.5 shooting percentage. The case is straightforward: the finishing talent is already real, but the volume has to jump from 3.06 shots per game to roughly 3.4 or more. The bigger point is tactical. Utah has to treat Guenther’s left-circle one-timer spot like sacred ground, with teammates creating space and feeding him across the slot line the way Nate Schmidt did last season. Austin thinks 50 is possible, even if 45-46 is the more realistic call. Subscribe and listen for more Utah Mammoth deep dives. 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
September 7 · 36 min
EA Rated the Mammoth
NHL 27 is here, and honestly, this is when hockey season starts feeling real. Austin jumped into the early-access version, looked at EA’s default Utah Mammoth roster, and found a team rated as a legit offensive problem: Clayton Keller at 91, Dylan Guenther and Nick Schmaltz at 89, Logan Cooley at 88, and Utah sitting at 91 on offense overall. The weird part is where EA got nervous. Utah’s defense comes in at 84, and the goaltending drops all the way to 78 because Karel Vejmelka is strong but Sebastian Kosa gets just a 74. There’s also a lot to argue about in the default lines, from Vincent Trocheck centering the third line to Brandon Tanev being scratched, plus no Tij Iginla in the opening roster unless you import him yourself. Subscribe for more SLC Puck, and listen to the full episode here: 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
September 2 · 32 min
Logan Cooley’s Summer Scrap Says Everything
Logan Cooley gets pushed into the corner during a three-on-three summer game in Pittsburgh, knocks an opponent’s stick away, loses his helmet and winds up in the middle of a scrap before a teammate jumps in. He is playing for Team Raising Cane’s, which somehow makes the whole thing even better. The clip is funny, but Austin’s point is that Cooley’s competitive edge is already in midseason form. From there, the episode zooms out to Cale Makar’s new $20 million deal and Utah’s cap position. For about the price of one Makar, the Mammoth can stack together Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther, Michael Carcone, and Karel Vejmelka. Utah may not be a true Cup favorite this season, but its championship window looks a lot more real. Subscribe and listen for the full Cooley summer-league chaos, the cap-space spiral and Austin’s case that a changing of the guard is coming in the Central. 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 29 · 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
August 26 · 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
August 23 · 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

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