Schmidt says Mammoth are 'arriving,' can make noise this upcoming season

Nate Schmidt has his sights set on winning the Stanley Cup again while still reveling in his first championship.

The 33-year-old defenseman has yet to have his day with the Cup, but he is already envisioning how he can help bring that euphoric feeling of winning to the Utah Mammoth after signing a three-year, $10.5 million contract ($3.5 million average annual value) on July 1.

“I was in the gym last week already, just trying to make sure I’m ready for this next year,” Schmidt said on Thursday. “I’m not going to let this thing be a one and done. I want to be back there again. It’s too good not to share with people around you and the people that help get you there. It means a ton not only to me but to everyone around you.”

Schmidt believes the Mammoth are on the road to victory, noting that he sees plenty of parallels between Utah and the Florida Panthers, whom he helped win the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive season after joining the team on a one-year contract on July 3, 2024.

Schmidt said he also sees similarities between the Mammoth and Vegas Golden Knights, with whom he went to the Stanley Cup Final during the team's inaugural season in 2017-18.

“This is actually a team and an organization that have been building for a long time,” Schmidt said. “It kind of, in a lot of ways, mimics Florida and how they went through the draft, had a bunch of guys grow up together, and then start to make noise later as they got on in their careers. And that’s how I see this team. That’s something that kind of excited me. You see that type of trajectory again and see how it worked.”

Utah (38-31-13) finished sixth in the Central Division last season, seven points behind the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. The Mammoth made a late push for the postseason, winning six of their final nine games (6-2-1), but they were unable to reel in the Blues for that last playoff spot.

One way Schmidt believes he can help the Mammoth get over the hump is by tapping into the experience he’s had with not only the Panthers and Golden Knights, but the Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets as well.

“For better or for worse, I’ve played in a couple of places now where I’ve can kind of seen where things are going to fall on the spectrum,” Schmidt said. “This group is arriving. Each year you looked at them and it’s not just a point night (for the opposition) any more.

“This team plays hard and they have more than just a couple of skilled guys. It’s becoming a more complete team and the defensemen are a lot more veteran now.”

Following its move from Arizona prior to last season, Utah added veteran talent to its young roster, which is led by forwards Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther and Barrett Hayton.

Two of those additions were defensemen (Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino), so Schmidt sees himself as just another piece in the development of a winning culture.

“In the last couple of years they’ve added guys like myself and a couple of other guys that have won before, and that type of mentality starts to roll over in my opinion,” Schmidt said. “On the teams that I’ve been on, that’s the type of mentality they have. In my case, I just tasted this thing and I can’t wait for another chance at it again. That’s what you’re going to get out of me and that’s what I’m most excited to bring to this group.”

Signed by Washington as an undrafted free agent on April 3, 2013, Schmidt has 239 points (52 goals, 187 assists) in 741 regular-season games for the Capitals, Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks, Jets and Panthers, and 40 points (10 goals, 30 assists) in 99 playoff games.

He had 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 80 regular-season games and 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 23 playoff games for Florida last season.

“We have a ton of skilled forwards that can make a ton of skilled plays, and now is the next part of that development as a team,” Schmidt said. “For me, when I was talking to management, it was where I could fit into the group and what can I bring?”

Schmidt answered that in part by saying he is willing to contribute in whatever way necessary for the Mammoth, which is the same attitude he took to Florida.

“I went into Florida and said I would play wherever, however and whenever, and had that kind of mentality,” Schmidt said. “I think it was really a stroke of lightning for me, because I went in there not expecting anything. That’s kind of the way I’m going to try and do this next move is to come into Utah and not expect anything.”

Regardless of his role, Schmidt will be part of a strong defensive group in Utah, which includes Sergachev, Marino, Sean Durzi, Olli Maatta, Ian Cole and Juuso Valimaki.

“Whatever role you get you roll with, and I felt last year that that is something that really helped me a ton,” Schmidt said. “When you start expecting things and thinking you deserve this, that or the other, then that’s when you can get resentful for not being on the power play or not doing certain things and not just enjoying it.”