Mammoth Sign Schmidt to 3-Year Contract with $3.5 Million AAV

The Utah Mammoth have signed veteran defenseman Nate Schmidt to a three-year contract with a $3.5 million average annual value.

Schmidt, 33, is fresh off winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers, who he joined on a one-year, $800,000 contract after being bought out of a big contract by the Winnipeg Jets last summer. The undrafted Minnesotan recorded five goals and 14 assists for 19 points in 80 games with the Panthers in a third-pairing role and had three goals and nine assists for 12 points in 23 playoff games.

The 6-foot-0 lefthander has 52 goals and 187 assists for 239 points in 741 games between the Washington Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks, Jets, and Panthers. He began his NHL career in 2013-14.

Schmidt Gets Payday, Mammoth Get Experience

While Schmidt is no longer top-four calibre as he was earlier in his career, nor will he record 30-plus points per season as he did for three-straight campaigns with the Golden Knights, he proved with the Panthers that he is still capable of being a complementary bottom-pairing defenseman and managed to parlay his resurgent season into a payday (he is also still getting paid by the Jets.)

Expect him to skate somewhere in the realm of 14 to 16 minutes a night for head coach Andre Tourigny’s squad in 2025-26 and bring his big, gregarious personalty with him. The Mammoth’s blue line is headlined by Mikhail Sergachev but also features Sean Durzi, Olli Maataa, and John Marino.

The Mammoth, who played their first season in Salt Lake City as the Utah Hockey Club, were a stronger team than many suspected for most of 2024-25 but faded down the stretch to finish sixth in the Central Division.

Related: 2025 NHL Free Agency Tracker

Despite the fact the Mammoth missed the playoffs, they have has a good mix of young players well on their way to becoming stars and a strong group of experienced players to support them. They will look to bring playoff hockey to Salt Lake City for the first time ever in 2025-26.