The Mammoth (34-26-5) are in position to be the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference with 73 points, six clear of the playoff line. It would be the first time the Mammoth or Coyotes — whose assets were purchased and transferred to Utah in 2024 — made the playoffs in a full NHL season since 2011-12.
Arizona qualified for the playoffs in 2020 after the League returned following the pause because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I remember talking to Nick earlier in the year and saying, ‘Hey Nick, there’s no question that you need to be here and we want you here. This is going to become a math equation,’ ” Mammoth owner Ryan Smith said. “I’m just so thrilled that we both were able to see that. And really his desire to want to be in Utah because, let’s be honest, he’s two months away or whatever it is from being able to choose where he wants to go. There’s a lot of suitors out there and us being able to work together and do this is pretty special.”
Schmaltz is second on the Mammoth with 59 points (24 goals, 35 assists) in 65 games. He has already set a new personal NHL high in goals, topping the 23 he scored with the Coyotes in 2021-22. He needs five points to set a new personal NHL best in points in a single season.
He had 63 points (20 goals, 43 assists) in 82 games last season.
“The thought of losing Nick left me sleepless night after night after night and thinking about what he was going to get in free agency,” Utah general manager Bill Armstrong said. “Finally, we reached out to his agent and we were able to have conversations. In those conversations we were mutually agreeing that we both liked each other and that this was a good fit and this could be a good fit for a long time. That was an important part of our talks.”