The Utah Mammoth are occupying the top wildcard spot in the Western Conference in 2025-26 with 17 games left — and Nick Schmaltz is a key reason why. The 30-year-old is in the midst of the best season of his career, and he was rewarded for it in a big way on Wednesday.
The Mammoth re-signed Schmaltz to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension, the team announced.
“There was never a doubt that Utah is where I want to play the rest of my career and I’m thrilled to sign an eight-year extension,” Schmaltz said in the official release. “We have a great core of players and I know we can do some special things together here in Utah. We have a very bright future, and I am thankful to Ryan and Ashley Smith for wanting me to be a part of the group that will one day bring a Stanley Cup to Utah and grateful for the incredible fan base who always show up and support the Mammoth.”
After putting together a terrific campaign in 2024-25 which saw him amass 63 points in 82 games, the Madison, Wisconsin native is already at a career-high of 24 goals, along with 59 points, in just 65 games this year. That's second on the roster in goals, assists and points, and his six powerplay goals are tops on the team.
He's formed terrific chemistry with captain Clayton Keller over the last few years, and the star duo are poised to bring postseason hockey to Salt Lake City for the first time ever.
“There’s a lot of momentum building around our team, and extending Nick Schmaltz is an important part of continuing that,” team governor Ryan Smith said in the release. “Utah is becoming a true destination in the NHL, and Nick’s long-term commitment reflects the excitement around what we’re building here. We’re thrilled about the role he’ll continue to play on the ice and in our community.”
Nick Schmaltz is a staple of Mammoth organization
“We are thrilled that Nick chose Utah and wants to remain with the team for the next eight years,” echoed general manager Bill Armstrong. “Nick is a tremendous player and person who is very deserving of this contract. We expect him to continue producing on the ice and leading our young, skilled forwards for years to come. This is another great day for Mammoth fans and our organization.”
Originally selected in the first-round, 20th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2014 NHL Draft, he was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in the middle of the 2018-19 season.
He's been with the organization ever since, which changed hands and relocated from Arizona to Utah prior to the 2024-25 campaign. He's one of only three players who have played in all 147 games in the Mammoth's short history, along with Ian Cole and Jack McBain.
His career season in 2025-26 has helped Utah come out of a six-year rebuild, and the Delta Center has been full for every one of the team's home games.
Now 34-26-5, the Mammoth have six points of breathing room in the wildcard race. With Schmaltz locked up long-term, they'll look to finish strong ahead of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin in the middle of April.
