The KeyBank Center in Buffalo was buzzing on Saturday afternoon during the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, but perhaps no selection raised more eyebrows of pure excitement than the final pick of the third round. Standing at the podium with the 96th overall selection, the Utah Mammoth turned their attention toward Ann Arbor, drafting University of Michigan standout forward Adam Valentini.
For a player widely regarded by many analysts as a first- or second-round talent—with some final mock drafts placing him as high as 31st overall—the Mammoth may have walked away with the definitive steal of the entire 2026 draft class.
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