The Utah Mammoth aren’t letting Nick Schmaltz get to free agency.
His contract was due to be up after the season, but that won’t be the case any longer after Wednesday’s big news.
Schmaltz has signed an eight-year extension, according to The Athletic’s Chris Johnston, that will pay him $8 million per year — a total value of $64 million.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman added on X: “Longer term than I expected, but Utah compromises on term, as player compromises on dollars. In the end, both get what they want — as Schmaltz stays put.”
Schmaltz has been one of Utah’s best players, and the still-new-to-locale Mammoth now have him secured for a long time.
Schmaltz, the 30-year old center, has been a catalyst for the Mammoth since their move to Utah.
He was originally the No. 20 overall pick by Chicago in the 2014 NHL Draft.
He played three years with the Blackhawks, then went to Arizona and has remained with this franchise as it transitioned to Utah.
This season, Schmaltz has played in 65 games. He has 24 goals and 35 assists for 59 points.
His current deal had an average annual value of $5.85 million, so this is a strong raise for him.
The Mammoth continue to build up sports in Utah, and keeping Schmaltz around is a solid step toward continuing to do that.
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