October has arrived, and Utah Mammoth hockey is right around the corner. After a busy summer for general manager Bill Armstrong, the projections for Utah have risen, and this group of players will start to feel the pressure of legitimate playoff expectations. Players like Barrett Hayton will be relied upon to take their game to another level.
Last season, the first in Utah, was an overall success in the eyes of the owners, players, and fans. The team was in the race for a Wild Card spot for most of the season, but fell short by 6 points. Utah finished with 89 points and a 38-31-13 record. The Vancouver Canucks joined Utah in coming up short of the playoffs with just 1 more point.
The additions of JJ Peterka, Nate Schmidt, and Brandon Tanev have rounded out this young team in hopes of getting Utah across the line to make the playoffs. Hayton has been an up-and-coming player for the organization and has been a top-six forward for Andre Tourigny's group.
Arizona Years
Hayton was drafted 5th overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2018 NHL Draft. Just one year later, the 25-year-old made his NHL debut with the Coyotes, making 20 appearances. It wasn't until the 2021-22 NHL season that Hayton made his mark on the team. The Ontario native played in 60 games and registered 10 goals and 14 assists.
The following season, Hayton played in all 82 games for Arizona and set career highs with 19 goals and 43 points. The top draft pick was scratching the surface of what was expected of him.
The next season was a disappointment, as the forward played in just 33 games, scoring only 13 points
Utah & Contract
The first year in Utah provided similar production to the 2022-23 season for Hayton, with a slight improvement. Hayton played in all 82 games and reached 20 goals for the first time in his career. The 6'1 center set new career highs with 26 assists and 46 points.
At just 25 years old, Hayton is young but has 6 years in the NHL with just under 300 games played. Despite solid production and signs of strong play, Hayton has not produced like a 5th overall pick yet, and his contract expires after this season.
In the final year of his contract, Hayton will make $2.65 million before becoming a restricted free agent this summer, like fellow center Logan Cooley.
It is difficult for the Mammoth to prepare the salary cap for next season as Hayton's contract could range from $3.5 to $6.5 million, depending on how this upcoming season comes to fruition. If Hayton continues similar production, an enormous raise is not warranted, but if he breaks the 30-goal mark and breaks out offensively, Utah may have to overpay to keep away offer sheets.
Ultimately, I believe Hayton is a strong two-way player who can settle into a third-line role for the future, but to expect more than a 25-goal season would be hard at this point. He may have to accept a bridge deal this summer to prove he is a 5th overall "type" player.