Bill Armstrong could use a nap.
The Utah Mammoth general manager has had a busy week, after all. His team selected seven players at the 2025 NHL Draft — including fourth-overall forward Caleb Desnoyers — opened development camp and made five free-agency signings.
“We’re looking for a little sleep,” Armstrong said. “I think sleep is probably the most important thing at this time. Not only myself, but the whole staff.”
The long days and nights have started to pay off, though.
Tuesday marked the start of the free-agent market and Utah took advantage. The Mammoth have added at every position and are forging into their second year in Salt Lake City.
“I think in the big picture, what we did today was tidied up the loose ends and make us a stronger team,” Armstrong said. “Now we’ve signed some free agents that are going to come in and push with our core. It is going to probably be the most competitive team we’ve had so far. It will be the most competitive camp we’ve ever had here.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Caleb Desnoyers (18) skates in the Utah Mammoth development camp in Park City, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
The Mammoth did not secure any of the headlining UFA names, such as Sam Bennett, Mitch Marner or Brad Marchand. Instead, they stayed the course of their now-ending rebuild and chose intention over flashiness. Utah has a projected $10.9 million remaining in cap space now.
“We’ve been fairly effective at sticking with the plan. From the time we made the plan to where we are now, we’ve stuck to the plan,” Armstrong said. “There’s been some bumpy roads here and there, but for the most part, we’ve stuck to that plan. It is going to pay dividends.”
Here is what you need to know about the moves Utah made and how they will impact the team’s future.
Utah gets goaltending insurance
Vitek Vaněček has added a much-needed extra option for the Mammoth’s goaltender rotation next season. With the uncertainty surrounding Connor Ingram, Utah went out and signed Vaněček to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.
“I think [the one-year term] gives us a chance to get to know him and for him to know us and see what he can do,” general manager Bill Armstrong said.
The 29-year-old netminder finished last season with the Florida Panthers — and won a Stanley Cup — as one of their backups after getting traded from the San Jose Sharks in March. Vaněček posted a 3.62 goals against average and .884 save percentage through 25 games between the two teams.
(Jose Juarez | AP) Florida Panthers goaltender Vitek Vanecek watches during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Detroit Red Wings, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Detroit.
The numbers are not overly impressive, but the Mammoth hope Vaněček can return to his 2022-23 form with the New Jersey Devils when he had a 2.45 GAA and .911 SV%. If Ingram is unable to rejoin the group, Vaněček will be called upon to help manage Karel Vejmelka’s workload.
“He’s had some monstrous years in the NHL, and I think [Utah goaltending coach] Corey Schwab has always done a great job of bringing goaltenders’ games back to life,” Armstrong said. “I think with him, I think there’s more in there. I think he has an ability to push and really win some games for us.”
Vejmelka will need the support. He took on the No. 1 role after Ingram entered the NHL’s player assistance program on March 9 and proceeded to start in a record 23 consecutive games. While it was reassuring to see Vejmelka’s consistency — which earned him a five-year extension — it is not sustainable for an 82-game season and, the team hopes, playoffs. That is where Vaněček will likely come in. Both he and Vejmelka are from Czechia, too.
A new forward with ‘bang’
When NHL fans hear Brandon Tanev’s name, one of the first things that comes to mind is his signature headshot — that is, posing like he’s seen a ghost. Armstrong joked about it when asked what Tanev would bring to Utah.
“A heck of a picture, number one,” the GM quipped. “We signed him and his agent said to us, ‘He’s going to be a cult hero in Utah.’ I said, ‘OK.’ I saw that picture and I thought, ‘Oh yeah, he’s got a chance.’”
Beyond the personality, Tanev provides some grit and physicality in Utah’s middle six. After losing Josh Doan in the J.J. Peterka trade, Utah got some of that sandpaper back — Tanev signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract ($2.5 million AAV).
The 33-year-old winger started last season with the Seattle Kraken and then got traded to the Winnipeg Jets at March’s trade deadline for a 2027 second-round pick. Tanev had a cumulative 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 79 regular-season games and zero points in 13 playoff games. The Toronto native is 6 feet and 189 pounds.
“He’s got some bang in his game, and that’s what we love about him. He’s got determination and he wants to make a difference physically. He can kill some penalties, he can play on your second or third line. He can get out there and give you some energy,” Armstrong said. “He never shorts you on effort.”
Seattle Kraken’s Brandon Tanev celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Tanev has skated for three teams before landing in Utah — a place, as a UFA, he wanted to be. There were questions around players’ desire to come to the Mammoth in a new, less familiar market. Tuesday’s deals provided some answers.
“We are a destination. There are so many good things about Utah,” Armstrong said. “You’ve got some of the best players playing on the NHL club, along with five first-rounders that haven’t even hit yet. It’s an exciting time. People want to come here. They see the talent, they see what’s going on in Utah. We always say, ‘Something special happened in Utah.’ I think people in the free-agent world can feel that.”
Defensive depth added
The Mammoth were riddled with defensive injuries last season. It caused leaders like Mikhail Sergachev to carry heavier minutes and younger players like Maveric Lamoureux to make a premature jump to the NHL. Armstrong is trying to avoid that situation again.
And so, the Mammoth brought in Nate Schmidt and Scott Perunovich.
Schmidt — who is coming off a Stanley Cup win with the Florida Panthers — agreed to a three-year, $10.5 million contract ($3.5 million AAV) on Tuesday. The 33-year-old was on a one-year, $800,000 deal with the Panthers and quickly proved his worth. Schmidt had 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 80 regular-season games and 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 23 playoff games. He is a left-shot blueliner who is six feet and 197 pounds.
“I love Nate. We knew a lot of people inside our organization who vouched for him over the years and what he’s done,” Armstrong said. “He’s an older veteran D-man who can come in and move a puck, he can transition a puck. Even with his age, he’s one of the best skaters and he continues to improve on that and become a better player. And he’s another winner.”
Florida Panthers’ Carter Verhaeghe, center, celebrates his goal with Nate Schmidt (88) and Sam Bennett (9) during the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Perunovich, on the other hand, has yet to play a full NHL season but gives the Mammoth another body to slide in as a seventh defenseman if called upon. The 26-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level. Perunovich finished last season with the New York Islanders after getting traded by the St. Louis Blues in January and had nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 35 games.
There’s another level Perunovich can likely reach, too. He was the 45th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and went on to win the Hobey Baker in 2020 as the top player in NCAA men’s hockey.
“In the NHL season, everyone says you have six great [defensemen]. But it’s really seven. Your seventh D plays 54 games,” Armstrong said. “By having that type of depth, it allows us to make sure that [when] there are going to be injuries at times, we will be able to make sure we have the crop of players to go in there without any excuses.”