Dependable. One of the highest compliments a player could receive, especially an NHL defenseman. That’s what Nick DeSimone has been for the Utah Mammoth, and what the organization expects from him in the future as he returns for the 2025-26 season.
“He went in and just solidified how important it is to have somebody that can jump in our line up and make us an elite team in the sense that we never waver when there’s an injury,” Utah General Manager Bill Armstrong explained. “He goes in there and he carries the ball for us; he never drops it. He’s just somebody that’s very dependable.
“He knows what his game is, and he keeps us on an elite level when he’s in the lineup,” Armstrong continued. “He did a great job of coming into our lineup and helping our team win tough games when we were banged up, and we looked to him to take that next step and compete for a spot in a regular position.”
After he was claimed off waivers in Jan. 2025, DeSimone played 20 games for Utah during the 2024-25 campaign. He scored one goal and contributed five assists while averaging 15:35 of ice time. Even if he hadn’t played a game in several weeks, when called upon DeSimone delivered.
“That’s something I take a lot of pride in,” DeSimone shared about being dependable. “It definitely took some time and some bumps along the way to figure out what dependable means and how you can bring value to a game in many different ways. (I have) a lot of pride in my work ethic and being ready to play when called upon to do whatever the team needs.”
In addition to his hard work and drive, DeSimone adds depth to the Mammoth’s defensive core. It also keeps a strong d-core together. For DeSimone, returning was the right decision based on several reasons.
“For one, the way that me and my fiancée were treated by everyone in the organization from Ryan Smith to Bill Armstrong to Chris Armstrong,” DeSimone explained. “It was a great fit and everybody was very welcoming.
“Moving toward the ice, I feel like I fit in well with the way that (head coach André Tourigny) wants us to play,” DeSimone continued. “I think I just fit into the system well. It’s a great group of guys and a lot of them are back and it’s an exciting time in Utah, seeing our growth and then hopefully moving into next year, growing even more. There’s a lot of different reasons that go into it and at the end of the day it’s just a really great place to play for me and my family.”
Expectations are high next season for the Mammoth; however, Utah will have a dependable defenseman, eager to be a part of the team’s success, with DeSimone’s return.
