It has been a quiet start to free agency for the Utah Mammoth, but that does not mean Bill Armstrong and company are not working the phones to make the team better. Two moves that have a direct effect on the Mammoth are the two-way contract agreement with Kailer Yamamoto and the St. Louis Blues' signing of former Utah forward Nick Bjugstad.
Yamamoto returns to Utah after playing in 12 games with the club and registering 2 goals. The former first-rounder in 2017 is just 26 years old and could see more time on the team with the departures of Matias Maccelli, Josh Doan, and Nick Bjugstad.
Bjugstad was not expected to sign back with Utah, but with the need for depth pieces growing, the door was never closed...until now. Bjugstad signed a two-year deal for $1.75 million per season. He will fit in nicely with the Blues' style.
Bjugstad played parts of three seasons with the Utah/Arizona franchise. His best season was in 2023-24, with 22 goals and 45 points. This was his second-best season in the NHL, but last year he registered just 8 goals and 19 points. He always serves a purpose with his big body, but his time in Utah is over.
It has been a quiet start to the free agency opening, but Utah is expected to add depth pieces with the lack of star power available on the market.