On the first day of Free Agency, Armstrong made a series of deals that strengthened the roster, created healthy competition, and added depth. All of these moves avoided large contracts and maximum …
Veteran defenseman Nate Schmidt signed a three-year fresh off a Stanley Cup Championship with the Florida Panthers.
“We are excited that Nate and his wife, Allie, have chosen Utah,” said Chris Armstrong, president of hockey operations for the Utah Mammoth. “Nate’s depth of playoff experience and most recent impact in helping the Florida Panthers to win the 2025 Stanley Cup complements our group of existing veterans extremely well. He will play a big role in helping to move our team forward this coming season.”
At 33 with 741 career NHL games, Schmidt brings experience and will push the defensive core to be at their best. In addition to the work ethic, solid defending, and offensive contributions, Schmidt is a strong skater.
“He’s an older veteran d-man that can come in and move a puck, he can transition to puck. Even with his age, he’s one of the best skaters and he continues to improve on that and become a better player, and he’s another winner. You know, I think we have 10 cups in total now on our team and that’s going to be a huge kind of experience factor for us as we move forward and try and push to get in the playoffs.”
Forward Brandon Tanev also signed a three-year contract with the Mammoth on Tuesday. He brings grit, strong penalty killing, and playoff experience. That’s only what the forward brings on the ice.
“Well, heck of a picture, number one,” Bill Armstrong laughed. “You know, when we signed him, his agent said to us, ‘you know, he’s going to be a cult hero in Utah,’ and I said, ‘okay.’ Then I saw that picture and I thought, oh yeah, he’s got a chance.
“He’s got some bang in his game and that’s what we love about him,” Armstrong continued. “He’s got determination, he wants to make a difference physically. He can kill some penalties, he can play on your second, third line. He can get out there and give you some energy. So, he’s going to be someone that gives us that little bit extra bang, some more physical presence out there, he never shorts you on effort. So, he’s going to be an exciting player, I think, as our fans (get) to know (him), I think he’s going to be a cult hero.”
Source: Utah News