Schmaltz extension a great deal for team and player

The Utah Mammoth are enjoying a successful season in just their second year since relocating from Arizona. With 73 points through 65 games, Utah is well-positioned in the top wild spot in the Western Conference, and are on track to make the postseason as a franchise for the first time since 2020, dating back to their time as the Arizona Coyotes.

With the vibes at all-time high in Utah, they have begun to reward the players responsible for their quality play. On Wednesday, the Mammoth signed forward Nick Schmaltz to an eight-year, $64 million extension. Schmaltz, 30, is second on Utah in scoring this season, with 24 goals and 35 assists for 59 points in 65 games.

On Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and Steve Peters discussed the value of Schmaltz’s extension for team and player.

Tyler Yaremchuk: It’s an eight-year, $8 million AAV extension for Nick Schmaltz to stay put with the Utah Mammoth. Considering the year he’s having, considering the cap space Utah has to get out ahead and get this thing done, I think this is a really, really nice deal for the Mammoth.

Steve Peters: Nick Schmaltz to me is a player, and I’ve said this over and over again even since he was in Arizona, that hasn’t been able to play with consistency, not just game to game but shift to shift at times. Nick Schmaltz is a special player that people just don’t notice because he’s playing in Utah on the west coast and plays late at night. He protects the puck well, gets to the net well, and more importantly, he makes Clayton Keller better. If Clayton Keller is not in Utah, Nick Schmaltz probably isn’t either. Keller has gone to management and coaches, he likes playing with Nick Schmaltz. He thinks Nick Schmaltz can deliver him the puck and can help them produce, not just 5-on-5 but on the power play. I think Nick Schmaltz has found a home in Utah. I don’t know if he produces as much if he’s in a different setting. I think it’s a great deal for Utah.

You can catch the full discussion and the rest of Wednesday’s episode here…