The Utah Mammoth matched center Barrett Hayton's one-year, $4.775 million offer sheet from the New Jersey Devils.

Devils GM Sunny Mehta had signed Hayton, an RFA, to the offer sheet on July 1, which gave the Mammoth seven days to decide whether to match it or not.

Utah would have received a 2027 second-round draft pick as compensation had it decided not to match the contract. Instead, they're keeping Hayton for 2026-27.

"I'm fired up to get back with my teammates and remain in Utah," Hayton said in a news release. "I've been with this core group for my whole career, and it's exciting that we have an opportunity to do some special things next season in front of the best fans in the NHL."

Hayton, 26, had 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points in 67 games this past season. His 15:07 average time on ice was the lowest since 2020-21, when he split the season between the NHL, AHL and the Liiga in Finland.

In 2024-25, however, Hayton had a career-high 20 goals and 46 points. He's also improved at the faceoff dot in the last two years, with faceoff win percentages of 54.1 and 52.6.

"Barrett is a key piece of our team and important to what we are building here in Utah," Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong said. "He's strong in the faceoff circle, plays both sides of the puck and can play with anyone in our forward group. We are grateful to be able to count on Barrett in our lineup next season."

Because the Mammoth matched Hayton's contract, they cannot trade him for a calendar year, according to the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and NHLPA.

Hayton is eligible to sign a contract extension as early as Jan. 1, 2027. But if he doesn't agree to a new contract with Utah, he'll become a UFA in 2027 free agency, and the team can't sell him beforehand.

The Mammoth also now have about $4.58 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia.

Utah is loaded on depth at center after acquiring Vincent Trocheck from the New York Rangers last week. They also have Nick Schmaltz, Logan Cooley, Kevin Stenlund and Jack McBain has center options.

Coach Andre Tourigny will have to figure out who's going to play on the wing if they're all staying.

While Hayton has played on the wing already, he ranked second on the Mammoth in faceoff win percentage behind Stenlund. McBain ranks third.

That said, Schmaltz, Cooley and Trocheck are bona fide centers. Trocheck, in particular, had a 56.9 faceoff win percentage this past season with the Rangers.

There's the option of moving one of their depth centers to the wing and still having them take the faceoff.

With a shorter pre-season in September, the Mammoth will have fewer games to figure out the positioning before the regular season begins and they try to make the playoffs in an ultra-competitive Central Division.

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