- John Marino says Utah “has everything you really want” after signing his eight-year extension
- GM Bill Armstrong compared spreading the Mammoth’s cap money to slicing up a big pizza
- Read below for what Marino’s $54 million commitment means for Utah’s blue line
John Marino could have waited a year and hit free agency. He signed with the Utah Mammoth for the long haul instead, and he’s not shy about why.
Marino was asked what makes Utah the right fit for him. “It’s a close community there, and it has everything you really want,” he said, per the team.
Hear Marino explain the choice:
The deal runs eight years at a $6.75 million cap hit and starts in 2027-28. Marino was set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, so this was a year-early lock-in. Utah wrapped him up on an eight-year extension that keeps him in Salt Lake City into his late 30s.
We passed along the terms when Elliotte Friedman reported them this week:
General manager Bill Armstrong walked through how the money fits, per NHL.com. “I always say it’s like a big pizza, and everybody gets a little slice, and if someone takes too much of the pizza, not everybody eats,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong isn’t sweating the length. He pointed to Marino’s low mileage for a 30-year-old and called him an elite puck mover who is still getting better. “His body for me is still fresh,” the GM said.
The 30-year-old set a career high with 36 points last season, his first with Utah. He broke in with Pittsburgh and spent time in New Jersey before landing out west. Marino added a goal during the Mammoth’s playoff run, which ended against the Golden Knights.
Utah now has its right-shot puck mover signed through 2033. The back end has its anchor for the next era of Mammoth hockey.
