The Utah Mammoth’s biggest trade chips series continues with another player who could have a new home by the end of the 2025-26 NHL season: Nick Schmaltz.
The Utah Mammoth’s biggest trade chips series continues with another player who could have a new home by the end of the 2025-26 NHL season: Nick Schmaltz.
As mentioned in yesterday’s piece about Lawson Crouse, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed on 32 Thoughts the Podcast that the trade market could start to heat up as the season gets closer.
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“It’s summer. Like, you know, people are trying to relax a little bit. And I’m assuming that things are going to heat up later in the summer at some point in all these particular situations.”
The Mammoth have a strong trade option in Schmaltz. He still has a few years left in his prime, and while Utah might not want to part with that, if it helps them land a star, then general manager Bill Armstrong will be ready to pull the trigger.
Schmaltz, 29, is coming off a solid year. In 82 games, he put up 20 goals and 43 assists for 63 points, setting new career highs in both assists and overall points. He’d be a valuable trade chip if the return is high-end talent. That said, if Schmaltz starts the year as strong as he finished the last one, he could make the front office hesitate. It might even shift their thinking toward re-signing him instead.
That’s not to say Schmaltz is officially on the trade block. There hasn’t been any confirmed word on that front. What we do know is Armstrong is all-in on doing what’s best for the team. If the right deal comes up, and Schmaltz is the piece that makes it happen, the Mammoth won’t be afraid to make that call.
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Source: Utah News