Through a long, painful journey of arbitration and offer sheets, Barrett Hayton returns to the Utah Mammoth.
On July 1, 2026, the New Jersey Devils offered the restricted free agent a poison pill contract. The one-year contract is worth $4.775 million, making Hayton the seventh-highest-paid player on the Mammoth this year. With such a high contract, the Mammoth would surely let the center go.
General Manager Bill Armstrong decided to match the offer eight days later. When asked by the media why he matched the offer, Armstrong stated:
“I think he’s someone that you look from afar and you’d be like, ‘ok, where does he fit in the team?’,” said Armstrong. “But when you’re on the inside with our coaches and building the club, he does a lot of things that people can’t see.”
While it’s heartwarming to see Hayton reunite with the club, this move could prove risky for Utah.
Barrett Hayton Has Shown Great Promise for Mammoth
Being drafted fifth overall comes with set expectations. Hayton found his stride in the third year of his career, but ultimately showed his high-pick potential his first year (2024-25) in Utah. He scored 20 goals and made 26 assists, totalling a career-high 46 points. Seven of the 20 goals were scored on the power play, ranking him the fifth-best power play scorer on the team.
Hayton also placed sixth on the team in assists, making him a valuable playmaker for the Mammoth. He finally began to look like the player he got drafted to be. However, the 2025-2026 season had other plans.
Hayton’s Inconsistency and Injuries
Hayton’s stats possess a nasty tendency to fluctuate. One year he looks like the player he got drafted to be, while other years leave fans desiring more from him.
The fluctuation seems to be caused by injuries and changes to the team. In the 2022-2023 season, he scored 43 points. Then the next season he barely managed 10 points due to injuries he sustained. The same pattern continues to this day. Plus, the Arizona Coyotes relocation hung over the players’ heads the entire season.
The center looked astounding his first year in Utah. However, this year he did not. Hayton quietly scored 10 goals and tallied 15 assists, totaling 25 points. Injuries resurfaced in his regression.
Hayton suffered an upper-body injury near the regular season’s end, causing him to miss most of the playoffs. To make matters more difficult, Hayton, among other players, became subject to multiple line changes to fit JJ Peterka.
Time to Pay Up
Hayton’s inconsistent play isn’t the only concern for the Mammoth; it’s his upcoming salary as well. The center will want more money once his deal ends. Since the Anaheim Ducks reset the market to re-sign Leo Carlsson, players will begin to ask for more money. The decision will become especially difficult for the front office if Hayton performs to expectations.
To make matters worse, Lawson Crouse and John Marino are free agents next offseason. Crouse and Marino just came off excellent years themselves, becoming huge parts of the team’s success. The Mammoth front office will need to make a crucial choice this season: “Who helps the team get closer to a championship?” Crouse brings much-needed leadership and a scoring punch to the team.
Marino found success by becoming part of one of the most efficient blue-line pairings in the NHL. If Hayton can produce at a Nick Schmaltz-like contract season, there’s a chance Armstrong re-signs him. You can’t retain all of your players as a team (unless they all take a pay cut). Somebody will want to get paid and leave the team. It’s up to Armstrong and the front office on who that should be.
Does Risk Equal Reward?
With inconsistent play and an incoming payday, Utah’s front office felt it was worth the risk to match Hayton’s offer. Why? Because Hayton is an experienced NHL player, not a second-round pick that may hit. Hayton has his weaknesses like any other player. But when he’s playing up to par, he contributes a lot to the Mammoth roster. Utah ranked fifteenth in power play percentage in the postseason.
You know who wasn’t there most of the playoffs due to injury? Hayton, one of their best power play scorers. Besides power play numbers, the center helps the Mammoth score greasy goals and empty-netters.
Hayton scored three empty-net goals this year, each in crucial wins. Utah could’ve used this skill in their series against the Vegas Golden Knights: a player who could outpace his competition in the dying seconds of a game and a body in front of Carter Hart to make goals more accessible.
One More Year
Ultimately, Armstrong and the Mammoth front office made the right decision. Besides goal-scoring opportunities, Hayton helps the team in many facets of the game. With Vincent Trocheck now in Salt Lake City, Hayton can find a way to thrive in his new role as a lower-line center. No pressure and a contract year is a good recipe for a player’s success.
A one-year deal makes Hayton a low risk. If he excels this year, sign him to a deserved extension. If he continues in his slump, let him walk in free agency.
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