Get to Know: Nate Schmidt

In this series – Get to Know – learn more about the newest Utah Mammoth players and who they are on and off the ice!

On July 1, Nate Schmidt signed with the Utah Mammoth and instantly added more depth and experience to the roster. Learn more about the veteran defenseman below!

The Basics

Hailing from St. Cloud, Minnesota, Nate Schmidt is a 33-year-old defenseman who has 12 years of NHL experience under his belt. The left-shooting defenseman is 6-feet tall and 197 pounds. One of three kids, Schmidt also played football and baseball growing up.

Schmidt is from one of the most hockey-obsessed states in the country, Minnesota, and he competed in the famous State Championship throughout his high school hockey career. During his senior season, Schmidt was the second-highest scoring defenseman across Minnesota and made it to the Class A state semifinals. Schmidt also played for the Fargo Force in the USHL for one season before he went to college.

College Hockey

Schmidt played three seasons of college hockey for the University of Minnesota. Through that span, he played 96 games, scored 12 goals, and had 62 assists for 74 points. During his sophomore year, Schmidt was on the All-WCHA Second Team. His junior season, Schmidt was All-WCHA First Team, All-WCHA Academic Team, and NCAA West Second Team All-American.

During his third season with the Golden Gophers, Schmidt led all Minnesota defenseman with 31 points. He was also third across all defensemen in college hockey with that points total. After a strong three years with Minnesota, Schmidt signed his first NHL contract with the Washington Capitals. He finished the year with the Hershey Bears, playing eight regular season games and five playoff games.

NHL Experience

During Schmidt’s first two full seasons in Washington’s organization, the defenseman split his time between the AHL with the Bears and the NHL with the Capitals. He made his NHL debut on Oct. 12, 2013, against the Colorado Avalanche before scoring his first NHL goal against the Nashville Predators on Dec. 7, 2013. However, from his third year on, Schmidt was a mainstay on the Capitals blueline. After four full seasons with Washington, Schmidt was claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 Expansion Draft.

Through three seasons with the Golden Knights, Schmidt had two extensive playoff runs. During their inaugural season, Vegas fell to Schmidt’s former team, the Washington Capitals, in the Stanley Cup Final. Two seasons later, the Golden Knights lost to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final. During the 2020 offseason, Schmidt was traded to the Vancouver Canucks where he played for the 2020-21 season. However, the defenseman was traded again the following summer to the Winnipeg Jets. On July 3, 2024, Schmidt signed a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers. Less than a year later, Schmidt won his first ever Stanley Cup with the Panthers. He was the first player to get the Cup after Captain Aleksander Barkov, as the team focused on handing the Cup to those who had never won before.

After celebrations and some time for reflection, Schmidt signed a three-year contract with the Mammoth on the first day of free agency.

International Experience

Schmidt has represented the United States at one major championship in his career - the 2022 Men’s World Championship. Through 10 games, Schmidt scored two goals and had four assists for six points. The US finished fourth in the tournament after falling to Czechia in the bronze medal game. In 2007, Schmidt was a member of USA Hockey’s Under-18 team that won a silver medal at the Five Nations Cup.

Mammoth Connections

Schmidt joins the Mammoth with fellow Florida Panthers teammate, Vitek Vanecek. In addition to Vanecek, Schmidt knows several Mammoth players from previous teams.

During the 2014-15 and 2016-17 season, Schmidt played with Liam O’Brien with the Washington Capitals. Schmidt also played with Kevin Stenlund during the 2022-23 season in Winnipeg.

Offseason Fun

Schmidt discussed how he spends his time away from hockey with Florida Panthers writer Rob Darragh. During his free time and the offseason, Schmidt likes to be outside and on the water. In addition to fishing, he likes to kayak. Schmidt has a son and he loves to spend time with his family on days off, including a Sunday morning tradition of making waffles.