Welcome back to another NHL Predictions. Each day, our writers here at Last Word On Hockey look at the games and give in-depth analysis. Our team breaks down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then makes predictions based on how they might play out. For this edition, we will look at the Utah Mammoth and San Jose Sharks. Don’t forget to check out more NHL Predictions, as our writers continue this series throughout the 2025-26 season.
NHL Predictions Utah Mammoth vs San Jose Sharks
2025-26 Head-to-Head: Sharks 1 – 1 Mammoth
How to Watch TV: ESPN+; NBCSCA; Utah16
Time: 10:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Location: SAP Center in San Jose, California
Clayton Keller and the Utah Mammoth visit Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks.
The Mammoth Side
The Mammoth (12-11-3) have lost three-straight games and were most recently shutout by the St. Louis Blues 1-0. However, the biggest concern for Utah is the status of star centre Logan Cooley. He was hurt in a knee-on-knee collision with Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko, who was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for the play. Cooley left the game and didn’t return, but he may have avoided a serious knee injury. The centre leads the team in points with 23. A full update should be provided before this game.
Defence and goaltending have been key issues for Utah. The Mammoth have allowed three-or-more goals in six of their last nine games. In addition to the lack of goal scoring, they end November with a 4-8-3 record, which is the worst in the NHL. That’s very much the complete opposite of their play when Utah won seven straight. If Cooley misses time, it could get bleak quickly for the Mammoth. Karel Vejmelka (10-7-2) is the projected starter for the Mammoth. However, we will add our disclaimer for the very latest social media updates before locking in your daily fantasy rosters.
The Sharks Side
The Sharks (12-11-3) have lost three of their last five games. They most recently lost a close one 4-3 to the Vegas Golden Knights. San Jose is led by young centre Macklin Celebrini, who has quickly proven to be the one of the league’s newest stars. Celebrini has 37 points on the season, which is tied for second in the NHL. That was after Connor Bedard’s four-point effort versus Anaheim on Sunday. He only trails Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon. The 19-year-old joined Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Sidney Crosby as the only teenagers in NHL history to reach 30 points in the first 20 games played. Utah will have their hands full trying to keep Celebrini off the scoresheet.
The Sharks are a better home team than they are on the road, with an 8-4-3 record. The Mammoth are a worse road team, so San Jose could have the advantage here. Moreover, Yaroslav Askarov (9-6-1) is likely to be in the crease for the Sharks.
Prediction
In terms of matchups, this should be a pretty even game. However, the loss of Cooley could put the tide in the Sharks favour. Both teams aren’t the best defensively. The Mammoth allow the 18th most goals overall, while the Sharks are 25th in goals against. Utah does allow the fewest shots on goal, so they’re very good at blocking shots. While San Jose gives up a high volume of shots, as they rank last in shots on goal allowed. All the categories between both teams are close, so it could go either way. But we believe Celebrini and Will Smith will power the Sharks offence to victory.
Prediction: Sharks win 3-1
Prop Bets
Although the Mammoth are the favorite, we believe the Sharks will take this one. Utah’s been struggling and if they don’t have Logan Cooley in the lineup, it will be more difficult for them. For goal scorers, look for Will Smith to score for San Jose. He has 10 on the season, with three of them coming in his last two games. For Utah, watch for captain Clayton Keller. He has just one goal in his last nine games, but the 27-year-old scored 30 or more goals in each of the last three years. This means Keller can get going on any moment, and he could be due.
Main Photo Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images
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The post NHL Predictions: Dec 1 Utah Mammoth vs San Jose Sharks appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.