Mammoth sign Max Pšenička to entry-level contract

A talented defensive prospect has inked his first NHL contract.

On Thursday, the Utah Mammoth announced that the team has signed defenseman Max Psenicka to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Psenicka was originally taken by the Mammoth in the second round, 46th overall, of the 2025 NHL Draft, the franchise’s second draft after relocating from Arizona.

The Praha, Czechia native is coming off his first full season in North America. In 53 games with the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks, he scored eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points, posting a plus/minus of +3. He helped the Winterhawks snag the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. Psenicka failed to score a point in their first-round series against the top-seeded Everett Silvertips, losing in four straight to the eventual WHL champions.

Psenicka was able to join the Mammoth’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, for the final swing of their regular season. He appeared in two games, registering an assist in his pro debut against the San Diego Gulls on April 15. The 19-year-old notched a +1 rating in his brief stint on an amateur tryout.

Along with his club season, Psenicka represented his country on one of hockey’s biggest stages. At the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, he posted a goal and three points in seven games, helping Czechia reach the gold medal game. The Czechs ultimately fell to Sweden in the final.

The 6-foot-5 rearguard scored nine goals and 28 assists for 37 points in 57 regular-season games with Portland, with another eight points in 22 postseason affairs.

Before coming to North America, Psenicka spent some time in the Czech Extraliga, appearing in 16 games for HC Plzeň in the 2024-25 season, posting two goals before joining the Winterhawks for the latter half of the year.