It's day three of free agency and the Utah Mammoth have been busy over the last few days. They came into the signing season with the mentality that they were going to spend money. Yesterday, I wrote about a report from RG Media about Utah preparing to outbid every other team for Brad Marchand.
Unfortunately, Marchand didn't make it to free agency and so general manager Bill Armstrong had to pivot, and what he managed to do earned him one of the winners of free agency. So let's look at some of the moves that they made and see what each player brings to the table.
Kailer Yamamoto: 1 year, $775,000
Yamamoto is going to be a depth player for Utah. Last season he played most of the season with the Tuscan Roadrunners in the AHL, but later in the season he was called up. In 12 games he had two goals and an assist for three points. He does have the potential to be a reliable depth forward like his time with the Edmonton Oilers. In 315 games in his career, he had 60 goals and 77 assists for 137 points.
Scott Perunovich: 1 year, $775,000
Perunovich is another depth signing for the Mammoth that could turn out to be an underrated addition. During his career, he has been known as a puck-moving defenseman who just hasn't found his game at the NHL level. He has spent most of his career with the St. Louis Blues and his stats were very underwhelming. In 108 games, he has scored two goals and 30 assists for 32 points. Obviously not ideal, but his role with the Mammoth will be as a depth defenseman, potentially even as the seventh blue liner.
Brandon Tanev: 3 years, $7.5 million ($2.5 million AAV)
Tanev is arguably the biggest signing that the Mammoth made on July 1. He is going to be a fan favourite, a coach’s favourite and locker room favourite. He isn't going to be a big point producer, but he does do all the little things right. He will be the player that is out there to defend a lead because he will put his body on the line to do it. Last season, he scored 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points in 79 games. He also had 168 hits, 105 blocks, which just goes to show that he will do anything to help his team win.
Nate Schmidt: 3 years, $10.5 million ($3.5 million AAV)
Bringing Schmidt in is a great signing by Armstrong. What he is going to bring to this team is exactly what they need on the back end. As a Stanley Cup winner, he can bring the experience of winning and what it takes, but he's also a 12-year veteran. Over the course of his career, he has been a 30-point player on average. During his time with the Vegas Golden Knights, he exceeded those numbers, but it's not just points. It's his ability to play in any role, any matchup and still find success. Last season with the Panthers, he had five goals and 14 assists for 19 points in 80 games. He earned a three-year deal with Utah after signing a league minimum contract with the Panthers, which he signed after being bought out by the Winnipeg Jets. He has the potential to be a great story this season with the Mammoth.
Report: Utah Mammoth Were Ready To Go All-In On Brad Marchand
ow that the majority of big-name players have been signed, there are going to be stories about which team was in on which players. For the Utah Mammoth, the story that came out late last night from RG Media was that they were prepared to outbid all the other teams interested in Brad Marchand.
Vitek Vanecek: 1 year, $1.5 million
This signing is an insurance policy for Armstrong and the Mammoth. With so much uncertainty with Connor Ingram and if he will play this season, they had to bring in someone who could be a reliable backup. Vanecek, a Czechia native, will now get to be in a goalie tandem with fellow countryman Karel Vejmelka. Unfortunately, he is coming off a down year after spending time with the San Jose Sharks. In 25 games, he had a 5-14-4 record with a 3.62 goals against average and a .884 save percentage. In the past, he has had some good seasons. During his time with the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils, he had a 21-win season in 2020-21, a 20-win season in 2021-22 and a 33-win season in 2022-23. He has the potential to be a very reliable backup for the Mammoth, however, only time will tell if he can get back to his previous form or not.
As for players that have left the organization, the following players have become free agents:
- Michael Carcone
- Egor Sokolov
- Nick Bjugstad – Signed with St. Louis Blues
- Robert Bortuzzo
- Samuel Walker
- Josef Korenar
- Patrik Koch
- Travis Barron
- Cameron Hebig
Most of the players listed above will likely sign two-way deals with teams throughout the summer, or they will head overseas. The biggest name that signed elsewhere is Bjugstad and he joined the Blues.
So far, the moves that Armstrong made are very good depth players. They will all have impacts on the team to make it better. On top of that, they also acquired J.J. Peterka who will fit into their top six nicely. There is a sense that the Mammoth will be exploring the trade market to try and add one more player to their roster as they head into the dog days of summer.
Utah Mammoth Signs Vitek Vanecek To One-Year Contract
The Utah Mammoth have announced that they have signed backup goalie Vitek Vanecek to a one-year $1.5 million contract.
Utah Mammoth Sign Nate Schmidt To 3-Year Contract
The Utah Mammoth have announced that they have signed defenseman Nate Schmidt to a three-year $10.5 million deal. The contract carries an average annual value of $3.5 million per season.
Utah Mammoth Signs Brandon Tanev To 3-Year Deal
Utah Mammoth have announced that they have signed forward Brandon Tanev to a three-year $7.5 million deal. The contract carries an average annual value of $2.5 million per season.
Utah Mammoth Issue 2025 Qualifying Offers
The Utah Mammoth have issued their 2025 qualifying offers as the deadline approaches. I can confirm that they have only issued a QO to Jack McBain.