Devils sign Mammoth’s Barrett Hayton to one-year offer sheet
The New Jersey Devils have successfully tendered an offer sheet to Utah Mammoth restricted free agent center Barrett Hayton, the club announced Wednesday evening.
The offer sheet is for one year at a $4.775 million cap hit, which means the Mammoth would receive New Jersey’s own 2027 second-round pick as compensation if they choose not to match. Utah has seven days to decide whether to keep Hayton or take the draft pick.
Hayton, 26, collected 10 goals and 25 points in 67 games with the Mammoth during the 2025-26 regular season. The 6’1″ center appeared in just one game with Utah during the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted on Wednesday, Utah will not be able to trade Hayton for a full calendar year if they choose to match the offer sheet; however, this one-year deal will also walk Hayton directly to unrestricted free agency next July.
#NEWS: We’ve tendered an offer sheet to Utah Mammoth center Barrett Hayton, a one-year contract at $4,775,000 per year, which would require a second-round draft pick as compensation.
The Arizona Coyotes originally selected Hayton in the first round (No. 5 overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft. The former Soo Greyhounds standout played for Team Canada at two IIHF World Junior Championships, scoring six goals and 12 points in seven games and captaining the team to gold in 2020.
Hayton made his NHL debut with the Coyotes in 2019-20 and ultimately appeared in parts of five seasons with the club before its relocation to Utah in 2024. He set career-best marks with 20 goals and 46 points in 82 games with the Utah Hockey Club in 2024-25.
As an RFA this summer, Hayton would have been eligible to file for salary arbitration; however, the Mammoth beat him to the punch, filing for the rarely-seen club-elected arbitration on Monday. Because the Mammoth, not the player, made the filing, Hayton remained eligible to sign an offer sheet.
Through 358 career NHL games over parts of seven seasons with Arizona and Utah, Hayton has collected 65 goals and 155 points. He’s also appeared in four career playoff games with the Coyotes and Mammoth.