No two season in the NHL are ever alike and teams that have struggled for seasons may find the ability to string wins together and reach contender status. That's what is happening in Salt Lake City, where the Utah Mammoth are changing their identity in their second season. The Mammoth have demonstrated significant improvement and have registered a 9-5-0 record and they find themselves in third place in the Central Division of the Western Conference.
The Mammoth are winning games and outscoring opponents on a regular basis, and much of the damage is being done by Nick Schmaltz. The 29-year-old center from Madison, Wisconsin is the team's leading scorer. Schmaltz has scored 8 goals and 10 assists and he has a plus-3 rating. More than the numbers, Schmaltz has shown the ability to outskate, outfight and outplay opponents whenever he senses an opportunity to come away with possession of the puck and create a scoring opportunity.
Opponents have notice how difficult it is to compete against Schmaltz. The Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the Mammoth in a game Wednesday, and star forward William Nylander acknowledged how challenging it is to play against Schmaltz. “He’s one of the most underrated players, I think, in the league,” Nylander told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. “He’s unbelievable, actually.”
Schmaltz likely to garner a big contract before next season
Schmaltz has been a consistent producer with the Arizona Coyotes and the Mammoth. Schmaltz has scored 20 goals or more in four consecutive seasons. Prior to leaving the desert, Schmaltz was the most consistent forward for the Coyotes. In addition to being able to score key goals, he is capable of going into the corner and winning the puck battle.
Schmaltz is in the final year of a seven-year contract. He is earning $5.85 million and he should be able to get another multi-year deal from the Mammoth or another team that is willing to give him an eye-catching deal.
