Nate Schmidt signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday. It has an average annual value of $3.5 million.
The 33-year-old defenseman had 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 80 regular-season games for the Florida Panthers last season and 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 23 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help the Panthers win the Stanley Cup.
“We are excited that Nate and his wife, Allie, have chosen Utah,” Mammoth president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong said. “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.”
Schmidt won his first NHL championship and was the first person handed the Cup after Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov accepted it from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
“It was the best lap of hockey I’ve ever had in my life,” Schmidt said June 17. “I can’t believe that we are here. I’m just so proud of this group and so happy to be here.”
Signed by the Washington Capitals as an undrafted free agent April 3, 2013, Schmidt has 239 points (52 goals, 187 assists) in 741 regular-season games for the Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets and Panthers and 40 points (10 goals, 30 assists) in 99 playoff games.
Utah also signed forward Brandon Tanev to a three-year, $7.5 million contract ($2.5 million AAV) on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old had 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 79 regular-season games for the Jets and Seattle Kraken last season including five points (one goal, four assists) in 19 games for the Jets after he was acquired in a trade March 7.
Tanev did not have a point in 13 playoff games.
Signed by the Jets as an undrafted free agent March 30, 2016, Tanev has 180 points (84 goals, 96 assists) in 552 regular-season games for the Jets, Pittsburgh Penguins and Kraken and 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 59 playoff games.
“We are very pleased to sign Brandon to a three-year contract,” general manager Bill Armstrong said. “He brings playoff experience, is good on the penalty kill and will upgrade many areas on our team. We look forward to having Brandon in Utah.”
Vitek Vanecek signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Mammoth on Tuesday. The 29-year-old goalie played seven games for the Panthers after he was acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on March 5 and won his first Stanley Cup championship serving as Sergei Bobrovsky’s backup in the playoffs.
