Utah Mammoth Prospect Ludvig Lafton Building Momentum Prior To NCAA Move

The United States Hockey League’s regular season is nearing its end, with teams jockeying for playoff positioning to secure home ice advantage. The Dubuque Fighting Saints find themselves in third place in the Eastern Conference with 12 games remaining.

Currently in his first season at the USHL level, Norwegian-born defenseman Ludvig Lafton is putting together a very strong campaign. In the previous two years, Lafton played in Sweden for Farjestads Jr. of the Swedish Junior Hockey League. Through 44 games played, Lafton has posted one goal and 27 assists, finding himself tied for the 10th most points among all USHL defenseman.

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“I feel like I have been playing worry-free and just trying to play my style of game,” Lafton said during an interview on Thursday afternoon. “My teammates and coaches have been amazing, whether it has been helping me out or encouraging me to play my game. They are always helping me out.”

The style of play in Europe is a little bit different than the North American game, something that Lafton has adjusted very well as the season has gone on.

“It’s been a transition from playing in Europe to playing over here with the smaller ice sheets and higher speeds,” Lafton said. “The game is more physical with the smaller ice and compacted space.”

In 2024, Lafton was selected to represent his home country of Norway at the World Junior Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. The experience of getting to play for Norway was something that left a real impact on the now 20-year-old.

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“It was a surreal experience. It was crazy to be there and play against all the top players in the world. It was an amazing learning moment,” Lafton said. “We had a really good team that year  and put together a really strong game against the United States of America.”

Although the Fighting Saints defenseman won’t be able to return to the 2027 World Juniors taking place in Edmonton, Lafton helped make sure Norway was elevated from the Division One tournament. In five games, Lafton posted one goal and eight assists, en route to Norway’s 5-0 record and good enough for promotion.

“It’s huge for Norwegian hockey and to help the next generation of players to get that national exposure,” Lafton said. “The difference between Division One and the top group is huge in terms of media coverage and fans that attend. It’s huge for Norway that we have teams in the top division for both Under-20 and Under-18.”

Utah Hockey Club’s 5th & 6th Round Recap After the Utah Hockey Club traded their seventh-round pick, they had four draft picks remaining. There were two picks in the fourth round and two in the fifth, so with that, let’s recap the last four picks made by Utah.

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Lafton’s appearance at the World Juniors wasn’t the only major impact in 2024, as the defenseman was selected by the Utah Mammoth in the sixth round, 190th overall in the National Hockey League Draft, a dream come true in his hockey career.

“It was a pretty crazy and surreal moment. Just being a kid from Norway, I didn’t even think it was possible to be selected. I wanted to be drafted but couldn’t imagine it, and then it happened,” Lafton said. “I was in the car with my mom and sister on our way to my grandparents’ house when I got the call. I blacked out, my phone was blowing up, and then I received a call from Utah.

Lafton will continue to climb the ranks of the hockey world next season when he heads to the University of Maine to play for the Black Bears in the NCAA. The next step will be crucial for his development, and Lafton feels he has found the right spot.

“I got a really good feel for the place and the coaching staff they have. Speaking to the head coach, Ben Barr, he just gave me a good vision for the way they want me to play,” Lafton said. “The rink is an amazing place, and the town felt right to me. It just felt like the best place for me to go and develop my game.”

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With 12 games remaining until the playoffs begin, Lafton remains focused on helping the group get their game to where it needs to be when the puck drops for postseason hockey.

“We know that when we’re playing our game, we can beat anybody,” Lafton said. “It’s just about sticking to the process, being consistent and getting better every single day.”

The process of getting better every single day is something Lafton knows he will need to keep aspiring towards if he is going to achieve his goal of playing in the NHL.

“Getting drafted gave me motivation to keep on working,” Lafton said. “The job is far from over, but my mind is set on playing in the NHL.”

The Fighting Saints return to action on Friday night when they travel on the road to face the Des Moines Buccaneers. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. CST.