The Colorado Mammoth are an American professional box lacrosse team based in Denver, Colorado, that competes in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The team has played its home games at Ball Arena since the 2003 season. They are owned by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, who is also the owner of the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Rapids, Arsenal, and Los Angeles Angels.
The Mammoth franchise previously played as the Baltimore Thunder from 1987 to 1999, the Pittsburgh CrosseFire in 2000, and the Washington Power from 2001 to 2002. Up until the joining of the expansion team San Diego Seals, Colorado was the only non-Canadian team in the Western Division from 2014 to 2018. They have only missed the playoffs twice since moving to Colorado.
In 2004 and from 2006 to 2008, the Mammoth lead the league in attendance. 2006 was the first year in the 20-year history of the NLL that the league had an attendance of more than one million fans in one season. The Mammoth had the honor of hosting fan number one million. In 2008, the Mammoth average attendance per game was higher than Pepsi Center's other teams, the Colorado Avalanche (NHL) and the Denver Nuggets (NBA).
2006 champions In the 2006 season, the Mammoth went to the playoffs in the #2 seed in the Western Division. Round one was hosted in Colorado against rivals Calgary. The Mammoth won 18–17 in overtime. Brian Langtry scored the overtime goal. Round two (Western Division finals) was also hosted at Pepsi Center against the Arizona Sting. Rookie Dan Carey scored the winning goal as the Mammoth defeated the Sting 13–12. The championship game was held at HSBC Arena in Buffalo against the Bandits who held the league's best record and the incumbent league MVP, goaltender Steve Dietrich . The Mammoth won the Champion's Cup by a score of 16–9, with Gavin Prout being named Game MVP.
2022 champions The Mammoth won the National Lacrosse League Cup beating the Buffalo Bandits 2 games to 1, with Dillon Ward being named the Finals MVP. For the second time, the Mammoth won their championship in the Bandits' home arena, currently (2026) known as KeyBank Center.
Notable players Gary Gait, who retired after the 2005 NLL season as the NLL's all-time scoring leader with 596 goals and 495 assists in 174 games (a record since surpassed by John Tavares). Gait also won the 2003 NLL MVP Award while with the Mammoth. On November 12, 2005, Gait was inducted into the NLL Hall of Fame, and on December 30, 2005, his number 22 jersey banner was hung from Pepsi Center rafters — the first NLL number ever to be retired and hung from any arena. Gait was the Mammoth head coach for the 2006 and 2007 seasons before stepping down in August 2007 to pursue other interests. Brian Langtry, who won the NLL Rookie of the Year Award in 2003, is well known for his all-out goal scoring attempts. Langtry retired after the 2011 season. Gord "Gee" Nash, who was the 2004 Goaltender of the Year. Gavin Prout, a crowd favorite who consistently puts up high numbers. Prout won the 2006 championship as team captain and the won Championship Game MVP. On October 31, 2009, to the outrage of many fans, Prout was traded to the Rochester Knighthawks, who in turn traded him to the Edmonton Rush on November 10. After a season and a half in Edmonton, Prout was traded back to the Mammoth in March 2011. In 2023, Prout was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He was selected as an NLL All-Star on seven occasions, and his Colorado Mammoth sweater (Number 9) was officially retired. Chris Gill, played a key offensive role in winning the 2006 championships. With 186 games, scored 589 points, and scored 1.9 goals a game in the NLL. In 2015, Chris Gill was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He joined as a fourth generation inductee after his great grandfather, grandfather and father. Returning to coach the Mammoths with Pat Coyle and Dan Stroup from 2015–2017. Pat Coyle signed with the Mammoths in 2005 and won the 2006 championship. Retired in 2008. Capturing the league’s first-ever Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2002, he was later named to the Mammoth’s All-Decade Team in 2012 and eventually became the first defenseman in NLL history to be inducted into the NLL Hall of Fame in 2014. In 2017, Pat Coyle was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Originally hired during the 2014 season to coach alongside Chris Gill and Dan Stroup as a collective unit, he was named head coach in 2018. Rich Catton played a key defensive role in helping the Mammoth earn its first NLL Championship in 2006. In 77 games with the Mammoth, Catton recorded 29 points (3g, 26a), 284 loose balls and 171 penalty minutes throughout five seasons of play, adding to his NLL career figures of 69 points (11g, 58a), 575 loose balls and 336 penalty minutes. In 2022, Rich Catton was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. John Grant Jr., who was the 2012 NLL MVP. Retired in 2017. Joey Cupido, three time fan favorite award winner who was the 2015 and 2018 Transition Player of the Year. Dillon Ward, winner of the 2017 Goaltender of the Year Award . He played an essential role during the team's 2022 championship run and he was awarded the 2022 Finals MVP award.
Awards and honors Year Player Award 2003 Gary Gait Most Valuable Player Brian Langtry Rookie of the Year 2004 Steve Govett Executive of the Year Gord Nash Goaltender of the Year Gary Gait Sportsmanship Award (tie with Peter Lough) 2005 Gary Gait Sportsmanship Award 2006 Gavin Prout Champion's Cup MVP 2012 Adam Jones Rookie of the Year John Grant, Jr. Most Valuable Player 2015 Joey Cupido Transition Player of the Year 2017 Dillon Ward Goaltender of the Year 2018 Joey Cupido Transition Player of the Year 2022 Dillon Ward Champion's Cup MVP
NLL Hall of Fame members Pat Coyle (Class of 2014) Dan Stroup (Class of 2010) Gary Gait (Class of 2006) Paul Gait (Class of 2006)
Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame members
Chris Gill (Class of 2015) Pat Coyle (Class of 2017) Rich Catton (Class of 2022) Gavin Prout (Class of 2023)
Current roster
All-time record
Season Division/Conference W–L Finish Home Road GF GA Coach Playoffs 2003 Eastern 9–7 1st 6–2 3–5 226 223 Rod Jensen/Jamie Batley Lost Division Final 2004 Western 13–3 1st 7–1 6–2 223 173 Jamie Batley Lost Division Final 2005 Western 8–8 3rd 5–3 3–5 201 182 Jamie Batley Lost Division Semi-Final 2006 Western 10–6 2nd 6–2 4–4 200 172 Gary Gait Won Championship 2007 Western 12–4 1st 7–1 5–3 209 179 Gary Gait Lost Division Semi-Final 2008 Western 9–7 2nd 6–2 3–5 184 162 Bob McMahon Lost Division Semi-Final 2009 Western 7–9 4th 4–4 3–5 172 184 Bob McMahon Lost Division Semi-Final 2010 Western 4–12 5th 0–8 4–4 167 201 Bob McMahon/Steve Govett/Bob Hamley Did Not Qualify 2011 Western 5–11 4th 3–5 2–6 151 172 Bob Hamley Lost Division Semi-Final 2012 Western 11–5 2nd 5–3 6–2 217 201 Bob Hamley Lost Division Semi-Final 2013 Western 7–9 4th 3–5 4–4 185 202 Bob Hamley Lost Division Semi-Final 2014 Western 8–10 3rd 4–5 4–5 201 228 Bob Hamley/Pat Coyle/Chris Gill/Dan Stroup Lost Division Semi-Final 2015 Western 9–9 3rd 6–3 3–6 212 218 Pat Coyle/Chris Gill/Dan Stroup Lost Division Semi-Final 2016 Western 12–6 2nd 8–1 4–5 203 202 Pat Coyle/Chris Gill/Dan Stroup Lost Division Semi-Final 2017 Western 9–9 3rd 5–4 4–5 202 199 Pat Coyle/Chris Gill/Dan Stroup Lost Division Final 2018 Western 11–7 2nd 5–4 6–3 214 199 Pat Coyle Lost Division Semi-Final 2019 Western 6–12 4th 3–6 3–6 181 193 Pat Coyle Lost Division Final2020Western7–62nd4–23–4128125Pat CoyleNo playoffs held2021WesternSeason cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2022Western10–83rd7–23–6196198Pat CoyleWon Championship2023Western9–94th7–22–7190208Pat CoyleLost Championship2024Unified5–1315th4-51-8193226Pat CoyleDid Not Qualify2025Unified8–1010th4–54–5195212Pat CoyleDid Not Qualify2026Unified12–62nd7–25–4206179Pat CoyleLost Quarterfinals Total 23 seasons 201–186 116–77 84–109 4,456 4,438 Playoff totals 19 appearances 15–22 6–10 9–12 424 457 2 Championships
Playoff results
Season Game Visiting Home 2003 Quarterfinals Vancouver 12 Colorado 15 Semifinals Colorado 11 Toronto 15 2004 Division Finals Calgary 13 Colorado 11 2005 Division Semifinals Colorado 13 Arizona 16 2006 Division Semifinals Calgary 17 Colorado 18 Division Finals Arizona 12 Colorado 13 Championship Colorado 16 Buffalo 9 2007 Division Semifinals San Jose 15 Colorado 14 (OT) 2008 Division Semifinals Calgary 15 Colorado 13 2009 Division Semifinals Colorado 8 Calgary 15 2011 Division Semifinals Colorado 6 Calgary 10 2012 Division Semifinals Minnesota 14 Colorado 10 2013 Division Semifinals Colorado 10 Calgary 15 2014 Division Semifinals Colorado 15 Calgary 16 (OT) 2015 Division Semifinals Calgary 11 Colorado 6 2016 Division Semifinals Calgary 11 Colorado 10 (OT) 2017 Division Semifinals Colorado 13 Vancouver 12 Western Finals (Game 1) Saskatchewan 18 Colorado 9 Western Finals (Game 2) Colorado 10 Saskatchewan 11 2018 Division Semifinals Calgary 15 Colorado 12 2019 Division Semifinals Colorado 11 Saskatchewan 10 (OT) Western Division Final Colorado 4 Calgary 82022Western Conference SemifinalsColorado 16Calgary 12Western Conference Finals Game 1Colorado 14San Diego 12Western Conference Finals Game 2San Diego 11Colorado 10Western Conference Finals Game 3 Colorado 15San Diego 13NLL Finals Game 1Colorado 14 Buffalo 15NLL Finals Game 2Buffalo 8 Colorado 11NLL Finals Game 3 Colorado 10Buffalo 82023Western Conference SemifinalsColorado 13San Diego 12Western Conference Finals Game 1Calgary 7Colorado 8Western Conference Finals Game 2Colorado 12Calgary 13Western Conference Finals Game 3Colorado 9Calgary 7NLL Finals Game 1Colorado 12Buffalo 13NLL Finals Game 2Buffalo 10Colorado 16NLL Finals Game 3Colorado 4Buffalo 132026QuarterfinalsSan Diego 13Colorado 12 (OT)
Head coaching history
# Name Term Regular season Playoffs GC W L W% GC W L W% 1 Rod Jensen 2003 9 4 5 .444 – – – – 2 Jamie Batley 2003–2005 39 26 13 .667 4 1 3 .250 3 Gary Gait 2006–2007 32 22 10 .688 4 3 1 .750 4 Bob McMahon 2008–2010 34 16 18 .471 2 0 2 .000 5 Steve Govett 2010 7 2 5 .286 – – – – 6 Bob Hamley 2010–2014 66 29 37 .440 3 0 3 .000 7 Pat Coyle,Chris Gill,Dan Stroup 2015–2017 54 30 24 .556 5 1 4 .200 8 Pat Coyle 2018– 139 68 71 .489 17 10 7 .588 Source:
See also Colorado Mammoth seasons
Notes
References
External links
Colorado Mammoth news