Hours after the Utah Mammoth matched New Jersey’s offer sheet for center Barrett Hayton, General Manager Bill Armstrong discussed Hayton returning to Utah on a one-year contract.
Armstrong on the Importance of Hayton Remaining with the Organization
"I think Barrett is a key piece for us. He really anchors our team in a lot of different ways and creates a lot of synergy just with all the intangibles that he brings. He’s someone that, you look from afar you’ll be like ‘ok, where does he fit in the team.’ But when you’re on the inside with our coaches and building the club, he does a lot of things that people can’t see. He's a valuable piece of our team and somebody that we believe we can move forward with and help us win a championship."
Armstrong on Hayton Adding Depth at the Center Position
“It’s huge for us. We had an epidemic last year when we got into the (preseason) games and it went all the way to the first game of the season with (Logan) Cooley getting back. But it’s really important. You win with good centers. Centers make the world go round, number one (defensemen) make the world go round, and so does a goaltender. But centers are the key and I feel that we have some of the best center depth in the National Hockey League, starting at a Nick Schmaltz on the number one line, Cooley at the second line, Hayton in the third line and (Kevin) Stenlund on the fourth, and it doesn’t count where we’re placing (Jack) McBain, who’s a heck of a center, too and also (Vincent) Trocheck in the mix. It gives us a lot of options in a lot of different plays.
“We can play three lines flat out on you; we can create a checking line. We can be very versatile in the last minute of the game up a goal, down a goal. It really gives us a lot of flexibility. And as a club, I believe we’re a better club and we want to make that next step and I believe having these quality centers allows us to take that next step.”
Armstrong on the Offer Sheet Process and the Business of It
“This is a process that’s a mechanism in the (collective bargaining agreement). We use arbitration, there’s offer sheets, there’s all these different types of things and it’s just business at the end of the day. That’s what it comes down to. It’s just business … There’s no hard feelings between us and New Jersey. We called them and said ‘hey, listen, we’re going to match.’ There’s no hard feelings between the club and Barrett Hayton. We always talk about with our players, when we go into contract negotiations with them, management has to do the best job for ownership and the club, and your agent has to do the best job for you. And it’s doing business, but we want to make sure that you know on the other side of that, we love you. We wouldn’t be in this process if we didn’t have a huge (appreciation) for you … It’s just doing business and it’s a part of the NHL. It’s a part of the CBA and we have to respect the process.”
