It might be 100 degrees in Tucson, but hockey season is just a little under two months away. We are at the point where most teams have made their big moves and have the main structure of their roster ready to go. The Utah Mammoth’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, are no different after a very busy offseason.
After a disappointing end to their season, missing the playoffs due to a tiebreaker, the Roadrunners had to change up their roster to bounce back into the playoffs. General manager John Ferguson was busy, making changes not just to the team on the ice but also behind the bench as well. Not to mention, there was quite a bit of news around the organization and their upcoming regular season and preseason schedule, along with their new lease extension.
The Hockey Writers got to catch up with head coach Steve Potvin and get his thoughts and opinions on some of the offseason actions. Here are his thoughts and everything you should know about the Roadrunners’ offseason.
Departing From the Old Pueblo
The worst part about the offseason for most sports fans is the possibility of the departure of fan-favorite players. For the Roadrunners, quite a few fan favorites have departed the organization.
A couple of players have retired, unofficially and officially. Kevin Connauton hasn’t actually announced his retirement from pro hockey but has begun a path to become an NHL referee. The former defenseman attended the BCHL’s officiating combine in Prague over the summer and also attended the NHL’s officiating combine in Buffalo.
Andrew Agozzino was expected to head over to Europe to play with EHC Biel-Bienne but instead announced his retirement later in the summer. A couple of days later, it was announced the forward would stay within the organization. More on that later.
There were a few players who also departed the Roadrunners for a new team. One of the biggest ones was Maksymilian Szuber, who was traded by the Mammoth to the Montreal Canadiens. For Szuber, this was a much-needed change for his development. While the defenseman was beloved in Tucson, the number of defensemen not just on the Mammoth who are locked down for the foreseeable future but also the amount of prospects on the blueline for the Roadrunners for this upcoming season made a future in the NHL difficult to see for him.
Matt Villalta also has left the Roadrunners after three seasons with the team. He signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Buffalo Sabres. With Sebastian Cossa and Michael Hrabal joining the Mammoth and Jaxson Stauber under contract for another season, there was no room for Villalta going into the 2026-27 season.
After leading all Roadrunners defensemen in points, Scott Perunovich signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Los Angeles Kings. In his one year with the Roadrunners, the defenseman had 49 points in 64 games, setting the franchise record for most points and assists in a single season by a defenseman.
Dylan Wells, Lleyton Moore, and Ryan McGregor have also all left the team after playing limited minutes this past season. Wells is the only one who has signed a contract with another team, heading overseas to play with the Black Wings Linz.
Returning Roadrunners
Despite quite a few faces leaving the team, quite a few will return to Tucson this fall. The most surprising being Kevin Rooney, who signed a one-year AHL contract with the Roadrunners. Throughout last season, the forward was constantly being called up and down from the Mammoth, resulting in him only playing 44 games with the Roadrunners. However, he made a strong impact in those 44 games, helping mentor the younger players while also putting up the second-best AHL season of his career.
When it came to the decision to bring Rooney back, it was an easy one for the Roadrunners. Yes, his leadership and strong play are obvious, but the attitude he brought to the team was one that made a lasting impression. At times, he would be returned to the Roadrunners right before a game, not playing for long periods of time, but he was always willing and ready to play.
“We were able to gain strength from that type of behavior, his attitude, and his love for the game,” Potvin said. “We pride ourselves on trying to build an environment, and you need those types of people that display that type of behavior to really grow and expand your environment.”
Speaking of players that help build a great environment, Austin Poganski was also quickly brought back on a two-year deal. His third season with the Roadrunners was a career best as he produced 23 goals and 33 assists for 56 points, all numbers being personal bests.
However, it’s not just the breakout season that prompted Ferguson and co to bring Poganski back. The leadership the forward brings is impeccable. He’s served as captain of the team for the past two seasons and has shown honesty throughout the highs and lows the team has faced for the past couple of years. For Potvin, he’s happy to have Poganski back in the fold, especially with a younger team coming in.
“When you first hear it, there’s no surprise because he’s really earned it,” Potvin said. “I think he’s grown so much as a player and as a leader, and he’s going to be one of the key pieces that we have moving forward, especially with all the young guys. I was excited to have him back because of his play. But I was also excited to have him back because of the leadership that he displays in the room. He’s an easy guy to follow day to day. We’re lucky to have him.”
Sammy Walker also returns on a one-year deal. The forward has been an important piece for the Roadrunners ever since he was acquired by the Mammoth from the Minnesota Wild. He always seems to show up at the right moments, and it showed last season as he scored three overtime goals, which was tied for second place in the entire AHL. While he’s still hunting down another NHL contract, staying in an organization where he’s slowly rebuilt his career was ultimately a great choice for him.
Robbie Russo is also returning to Tucson for his fifth season with the Roadrunners, signing another one-year deal. While he played only 59 games, his lowest since the 2020-21 season, he’s still a major leader on the blueline and will likely be the oldest defenseman this season with Connauton retiring.
Someone as experienced as Russo is important to have on a blueline that will likely be composed mostly of players 25 or younger. To have as many veterans returning on AHL deals like the Roadrunners have isn’t something that’s common. However, it speaks volumes about the culture Potvin and his core have built as more and more prospects filter into the team.
“It’s one of those cases where it’s rare in the American League that you have a lot of veterans that are coming back that are mostly on AHL deals so you can spend a little more time speaking about what our future is going to look like next season and what the expectations are of the room and the players that may or may not be here,” Potvin said. “We can give them a little bit of early insight on some of the players and key elements that they need to grow, and we want them to really focus on and help them with it. It’s a strong advantage this season, and it’s going to be important to have those types of guys around.”
Rounding out the players who have been signed to new contracts are Jack Ricketts and Ty Tullio. Both players became standouts in the roles they played last season. Tullio put together the second-best AHL season of his career with 23 points while Ricketts became an important depth piece after being called up from the Utah Grizzlies and producing 10 points in 31 games with the Roadrunners.
While Tullio and Ricketts may not play every night this season, especially with some big names likely coming to Tucson, with McGregor and Moore gone, the Roadrunners needed some reliable depth so that when injuries do arrive (and they will at some point), the team has options, unlike this season where at times they had to resort to deploying Connauton as a forward.
Welcome to Tucson
If you think the six returning players were enough to fill out this season’s roster, then you’ll be surprised that the Roadrunners added even more players this summer. Zac Jones was arguably the biggest name, with the Mammoth signing him to a one-year, two-way contract.
Jones is the Perunovich replacement. He’s a guy who was a big producer with the Rochester Americans last season, putting up 62 points in 60 games. With Nick DeSimone returning and Dmitri Simashev vying for a full-time NHL gig, it wouldn’t be surprising if Jones finds himself in the AHL for the full season like Perunovich last season. However, he’ll be a player who can be relied on if the Mammoth run into injuries.
Jones is a guy Potvin is excited to have on his team. The defenseman is a player who can control plays and provide excellent two-way play. It’s a player that Potvin will likely deploy a lot throughout the season and lean on when it comes to winning games.
“He’s a player that obviously controls the blue line,” Potvin said. “He’s going to be able to speed up our offense, and he’s a player that when you look at their offensive capabilities, I think you overlook sometimes the qualities that they have defensively. When you watch his game, there’s a 200-foot game in there, and we’re going to rely on him to be that guy…Every phone call I’ve received about him, he’s often compared to Perunovich. We know the kind of player that he was. He’s playing chess most of the time when a lot of the other guys are playing checkers. We’ve heard a lot of good things. We’ve seen a lot of good things. If he does happen to be in Tucson, then he’s going to be a player we’re definitely going to be leaning on.”
The Mammoth also acquired Joshua Roy in the Szuber trade, who they signed to a one-year, two-way contract. The forward will likely play most of the season in the AHL like he did the prior season. With the Laval Rocket last year, Roy produced 45 points in 57 games. He also played three games with the Canadiens. If he doesn’t win an NHL role out of camp, expect him to be a top six option for the Roadrunners.
The Roadrunners made two signings of their own. The first being Jesper Vickman, inking him to a one-year AHL deal. The goaltender played last season with the Henderson Silver Knights, finishing with a record of 8-7-3, a save percentage of .866, and a goals-against average of 3.41. He also played one game for the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. Vickman is Wells’ replacement, likely acting as the third-string goaltender for the Roadrunners.
The most recent addition is the more interesting one. Cal Thomas signed a one-year AHL deal with the Roadrunners, a contract that finally brings him to the Mammoth organization. Originally a sixth-round pick by the Arizona Coyotes back in 2021, Thomas has played the past four seasons with the University of Minnesota, serving as captain in his most recent season, where he produced five points in 31 games.
Thomas’ rights were lost by the Mammoth this summer due to ultimately not signing him to an NHL deal. However, he joins the Roadrunners as he chases down an NHL contract, whether that be up in Utah or a different team. A reminder that any player on an AHL contract can be signed by any NHL team, not just the Mammoth.
We’ll see if Thomas becomes an everyday player for the Roadrunners. Again, there are a lot of defensemen who will be on this team this season, including Artem Duda, Maveric Lamoureux, Brandon Holt, Terrell Goldsmith, Brandon Holt, Jones, and Russo. However, with the amount of talented players projected to be in Tucson this season, it does create the most challenging Roadrunners camp to date, something Potvin is excited for.
“It’s always going to be a challenge,” Potvin said. “That’s our natural challenge for coaches to try to build that environment to grow your culture and understand what the standard is and make sure everybody understands that standard. We can go back and talk about the leadership and how important they are. They’re the ones that have been here. They have an understanding of what’s expected and what the standard is, and we’re going to rely on them to help align our players with that. We want to take the approach that it’s going to be coach-fed and player-led. We’ll feed the standard and the expectations, and we expect our players and veterans to lead the room. They’re the ones that are going to set the ceiling. They’re the ones that are going to actually set the standard. Whatever they push for and accept, that’s what we’re gonna be building.”
The Newest Rookie Class
Speaking of a tough camp, there will be a massive batch of rookies who are on entry-level deals who will compete in the Mammoth’s training camp and will likely compete in the Roadrunners’ camp as well. The biggest names include Tij Iginla and Caleb Desnoyers.
Both Iginla and Desnoyers are turning pro after fantastic seasons in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Iginla finished his career with the Kelowna Rockets with a career-high 90 points, including 41 goals. Meanwhile, Desnoyers finished his third season with the Moncton Wildcats, a 78-point campaign despite playing 11 fewer games than the year before.
In past years, 19-year-old Desnoyers would’ve had to return to the CHL if he didn’t make the NHL. However, with the new agreement in place, NHL teams are allowed to have one 19-year-old CHL player in the AHL, and for the Mammoth, that will almost certainly go to the forward.
Both Iginla and Desnoyers will battle hard for an NHL spot. However, the NHL and the AHL are a way different beast from the CHL. It’s way more physical, and you’re playing against the best hockey players in the world on a daily basis. Yes, both Iginla and Desnoyers had great campaigns across their CHL careers, but that doesn’t mean they’re ready for the NHL. Don’t be surprised if both spend a majority of this season in Tucson.
The goal ultimately is to try to get the duo in the NHL immediately. Given their skill and where they were drafted, it’s not an impossibility. Both Desnoyers and Iginla are hard workers as well, expected to give it their all come September.
“You can just tell when you’re around elite people; these are the types of people that are going to find solutions,” Potvin said. “They’re not going to find excuses. They’re people that want to understand the facts, and they’re going to find ways to get to the next step of their career. They want to improve; they want to be the best. It’s something that you can see and feel from them. It’s exciting from our standpoint watching those types of young men come through our room and our organization. It’s exciting, and we hope that they do what they can to push to get a job.”
One name to watch out for is Gabe Smith. Like his Wildcats teammate, he’ll also be turning pro this season. Once a fourth-round pick, Smith exploded for 77 points last season in 60 games. He then went on to produce 33 points in 21 playoff games and was named the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) playoff MVP.
Breaking out like that is a great sign that Smith could be a big part of the Mammoth’s forward group one day, but it wasn’t the reason he was ultimately drafted. He’s a very physical player who plays an effective two-way game. His game resembles that of an NHL/AHL player, and it’s something that might give him the edge early on over guys like Iginla and Desnoyers. While he too will likely start in Tucson, don’t be surprised if he gets an NHL appearance sooner rather than later. After all, he was a player who stuck around for a while in camp last season.
“I thought he was one of the standouts at camp last year, so it’s hard to say what he’s improved on,” Potvin said. “He had an unbelievable playoffs, and he was named MVP. It’s hard to really identify what he improved on. I just felt like he gradually, incrementally, has gotten better, bigger, stronger, faster, and that process is what needs to continue. You’ve put yourself in a really good spot, and now you’ve got to take it all in, absorb it, reflect, refine it, and repeat it. That’s the key. Limit expectations and come to camp looking to continue to refine and find ways to improve your game, so you can make an impact.”
Daniil But is entering his sophomore season, and while many firmly believe he’ll be in the NHL full time next season because of his European assignment clause, don’t be surprised if he sees time in Tucson next season. The Mammoth will do whatever to make sure But develops to his highest potential, and if some time in the AHL helps him, they will send him down there with no regrets. Don’t think But will do whatever is best for his development as a player, either. He wants to be in the NHL, and if he has to play some games with the Roadrunners to prove that, he will.
Other prospects turning pro who will probably be a part of Roadrunners camp include Yegor Borikov, Vadim Moroz, Tomas Lavoie, and Gregor Bieber. All four of those players will get opportunities to have big roles with the Roadrunners.
What about Max Pšenička, who played two AHL games last season? We reported towards the end of the season that the defenseman’s eyes are on rejoining the Roadrunners this season. While nothing is decided yet, Potvin did say he believes that Pšenička will rejoin the Portland Winterhawks pending results from camp. He wants to see the defenseman continue to have hunger to play at the next level while getting bigger and better.
“I’d like to see him continue to have that determination and that curiosity of, can he play at the next level?” Potvin said. “He proved to himself that he could play at the AHL level, and he did it for a couple of games, and he did really well. But managing those expectations and making sure that you have that hunger and that curiosity of what’s next is a lot of times going to lead you down the right path. I’d like to see him continue getting bigger and stronger, and just making sure that he keeps refining his game.”
A Familiar Face Returns
There was one more key addition the Roadrunners made in the offseason. After four seasons of serving as an assistant coach, Zack Stortini has moved on, being named the new head coach of the New Mexico Goatheads. With an opening on his coaching staff, Potvin knew who to ask to succeed Stortini.
Agozzino wanted to keep playing hockey, and it looked like that goal was going to take him overseas. That’s always a tough ask for a family, especially with a young kid. Especially with his family being rooted in Tucson for the past couple of seasons. It was a tough choice for Agozzino to retire, but coaching had always been on his mind. When Potvin officially asked him about his thoughts on one day coaching, the veteran forward responded with confidence that he would be a coach.
“I couldn’t get through my sentence, and he was already telling me that he wants to take coaching seriously,” Potvin said. “He still had the fire in his belly to play, and I think he had some personal things that he had gone through and had to reevaluate some of his family choices. And I think he made the right decision for himself and his family and his future. He’s excited about it. When you’re having to make a last-minute decision like that and trying to make the change, it’s difficult because there are three parties involved. You’ve got to be respectful of all three, and I think he handled himself the right way, and we’re really excited to have him part of our staff.”
Agozzino’s first coaching job couldn’t come at a better place. With the Roadrunners, he was often the bridge between the coaches and the players. Potvin frequently leaned on him for feeling out the room and what the players needed to do. It’s a connection and understanding that led to a four-hour Zoom meeting this summer between the two that got Potvin even more excited to have the former forward on his bench.
Mark Your Calendars
Per usual, each AHL team dropped its schedule in July. The Roadrunners’ season will officially start on Oct. 3 at home against the Colorado Eagles. It is the first time the Roadrunners will open up their season at home since the 2018-19 season.
Highlights of the team’s regular season schedule include an eight-game homestand from late February to early March, home games on New Year’s and Thanksgiving, and the Texas Stars returning to Tucson for the first time since the 2024-25 season. Former Roadrunners returning to Tucson include Perunovich with the Ontario Reign on Dec. 15 and Aku Räty with the Bakersfield Condors on March 5.
The Tucson Roadrunners have released their full schedule for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) July 9, 2026
Highlights include an eight game homestand from Feb 19 to March 6, New Year’s Eve and Thanksgiving home games, the return of the Texas Stars to Tucson.#TusksUp #LetsGoTucson pic.twitter.com/Z1Ac5Yi3un
The team also dropped their promotional schedule a month later. The annual teddy bear toss will take place on Dec 12 against the Henderson Silver Knights. The ever-so-popular Star Wars night, which drew the biggest crowd in franchise history last season, is set for Jan. 30 against the Abbotsford Canucks.
The Roadrunners finally announced their preseason plans for this season. They will be hosting preseason games for the first time since 2021 with an event called the “Southwest Showdown.” The event will feature them, the Stars, Silver Knights, and Eagles, as each team will play two games on Sept. 26 and Sept. 27. There will also be a fan fest on Sept. 25.
The Roadrunners have announced the “Southwest Showdown,” an AHL preseason event featuring them, the Colorado Eagles, Henderson Silver Knights, and Texas Stars.
— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) August 20, 2026
This will be the first time Tucson hosts preseason games since 2021.#TusksUp #LetsGoTucson pic.twitter.com/JXOuawqtCL
Reno Rumors
With the summer nearing its end, it would’ve been surprising if we didn’t hear anything about the Roadrunners and their potential move to Reno. That changed during a recent interview with President Bob Hoffman, who addressed the Reno rumors for the first time publicly.
“To look at it from an ownership standpoint to say would he relocate his AHL team to that all-bells-and-whistles new arena to partner with the University of Nevada-Reno, it’s a possibility,” Hoffman said on The Upside podcast. “It has not been finalized yet. The arena has not been built, but it is something that could potentially be down the road.”
Interesting stuff here from Roadrunners President Bob Hoffman about Tucson’s lease and potential relocation.
— Chase Beardsley (@ChaseBeardsley_) August 13, 2026
The team’s new lease agreement has the option to be extended in one year segments for four years after the agreement ends following the conclusion of the 2027-28 season.… pic.twitter.com/HEXE4ohcid
It’s been well documented and covered by The Hockey Writers about the potential relocation of the Roadrunners to Reno, along with the obstacles this new arena has faced, which eventually led to the lease extension with the Tucson Convention Center. However, it was also revealed by Hoffman that the new lease extension, which will expire after the 2027-28 season, will have the option to be extended in one-year segments for the following four years.
It sounds like the four one-year potential extensions that can be activated should owner Alex Meruelo choose to keep his team in Tucson longer are in place just in case the arena hits other issues. As of August, there are visible structures starting to take shape on the site. However, especially given Reno’s harsh winters, it’s hard to imagine the arena being completed by its original grand opening date of next fall.
Rebrand Rumors
The Hockey Writers have also reported on a potential rebrand by the Roadrunners. During their 10th anniversary season, the team switched to their Kachina logo temporarily and introduced four new jerseys, including a black alternate. With their 11th season in the books, it seems like their original “Dusty” logo, which they’ve had for their entire existence, will be coming back but with a twist.
Sources have said that the Roadrunners will return to that logo but without the text that was originally featured on their old maroon jerseys. Instead, they’ll be wearing jerseys that look very similar to the black alternate they wore last season.
The Roadrunners will also have a new maroon alternate jersey. It’s unclear if it will be the main logo or the Kachina logo as the crest.
Hunger to Compete
It’s been one busy summer for the Roadrunners. 11 new faces will join the team along with a new assistant coach. It will be quite the challenge to try to figure out the best lineup, especially dealing with the fact you might have to sit some young players. With a changed lineup, finding chemistry right off the bat could be hard.
There is pressure for the Roadrunners to return to the postseason, especially in a division where seven of the 10 teams make the playoffs. Not to mention, with big-name prospects and a lot of their core guys returning, this team shouldn’t just be a playoff team but one competing for a division title.
In four of his five years as head coach of the Roadrunners, Potvin has led the team to the playoffs. He hasn’t yet won a round in the postseason or won the division. However, he’s served as an assistant coach when the Roadrunners achieved both. He’s seen talented players like Josh Doan and Lawson Crouse lead teams in Tucson to fantastic seasons. He believes this team has similar talent to those teams, something he doesn’t say lightly.
There will be some great talent on this team, some of the best that will ever play in Tucson. However, there needs to be a great locker room if this team wants to win. Potvin is hungry to get back to winning after a middling season, and so he’s looking towards tomorrow rather than the past as the season approaches.
“At the end of the day, whatever we accept in our coach’s room, that’s the ceiling, and whatever the players accept in their locker room, that’s the ceiling,” Potvin said. “There needs to be a bridge, and there needs to be communication, and there needs to be that accountability. A lot of last season’s failures are tomorrow’s successes. I’m excited about next season. I’m excited about our coaches’ room. I’m excited about the young players that are coming in. I’m excited about our veteran players that are returning. Our management has put us in a really good position to succeed, and now we just have to go out and execute the plan.”
The foundation has been set with one of the busiest offseasons in Roadrunners franchise history. Now it’s up to Potvin and the team to show that not only can they bounce back into the playoffs while developing the Mammoth’s future stars but also be a serious contender for their third Pacific Division title and the Calder Cup.
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