St. Cloud Cathedral graduate Nate Schmidt signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday, July 1. The contract has an average annual value of $3.5 million, according to NHL.com.
The 33-year-old defenseman had 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 80 regular-season games for the Florida Panthers last season and 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 23 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help the Panthers win the Stanley Cup.
“We are excited that Nate and his wife, Allie, have chosen Utah,” Mammoth president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong said. “Nate’s depth of playoff experience and most recent impact in helping the Florida Panthers to win the 2025 Stanley Cup complements our group of existing veterans extremely well. He will play a big role in helping to move our team forward this coming season.”
Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers on June 17, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena.
Jim Rassol / Reuters Connect
Schmidt won his first NHL championship and was the first person handed the Cup after Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov accepted it from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
“It was the best lap of hockey I’ve ever had in my life,” Schmidt said June 17. “I can’t believe that we are here. I’m just so proud of this group and so happy to be here.”
Signed by the Washington Capitals as an undrafted free agent April 3, 2013, Schmidt has 239 points (52 goals, 187 assists) in 741 regular-season games for the Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets and Panthers and 40 points (10 goals, 30 assists) in 99 playoff games.
Mick Hatten is a reporter and editor for stcloudlive.com. He began working for Forum Communications in November 2018 for The Rink Live and has covered St. Cloud State University hockey since 2010. Besides covering Huskies hockey, he is also covering other sports at SCSU and high school sports. A graduate of St. Cloud State, he has more than 30 years of experience as a journalist and has been a youth hockey coach since 2014. mick@stcloudlive.com
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