Nick Schmaltz Bio
Nick Schmaltz, born on February 23, 1996, is an American professional ice hockey player who plays as a forward for the Utah Mammoth of the National Hockey League (NHL). A right-handed shooter listed at 6 feet 0 inches and 176 pounds, Schmaltz came into the league as a first-round pick and has since built a reputation as a creative, pass-first center with a strong offensive mind. After spending his early professional years with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Arizona Coyotes, he continued his career with Utah after the Coyotes suspended operations.
Born in Madison, Wisconsin, and raised in nearby Verona, Schmaltz grew up in a family that valued athletics and competition. His path from basement roller hockey games to NCAA championships and NHL success has been marked by steady development and key moments at every level. He remains an active NHL contributor and one of the veteran playmakers in the Utah Mammoth lineup.
Early Life and Background
Schmaltz was born on February 23, 1996, in Madison, Wisconsin. His father, Mike, owns a series of fitness centers, while his mother, Lisa, is a radiologist for the UW Health University Hospital. The family home in Verona, Wisconsin, featured a makeshift roller hockey rink in the basement, where Nick played alongside his older brother, Jordan, and his younger sister, Kylie. That small indoor rink helped spark his lifelong love for the game and sharpened his skills from a young age.
Outside of his home setup, Schmaltz played four seasons of organized hockey with the Chicago Mission of the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League. There, he developed a close friendship with teammate and future NHL player Christian Dvorak, and the pair formed the core of a high-scoring offensive line that also featured William Nylander. These teenage years gave Schmaltz valuable experience against top-tier competition and prepared him for the jump to junior hockey.
Path to Professional Hockey
Schmaltz followed his older brother Jordan into the United States Hockey League (USHL), joining the Green Bay Gamblers as an affiliate player for the final 11 games of the 2011–12 regular season. He contributed one postseason goal and three assists as the Gamblers captured the 2012 Clark Cup. The following season, he posted 18 goals and 52 points in 64 games, including five game-winning goals and a hat-trick on December 31, 2012, earning a place on the USHL All-Rookie Team as the youngest member of that squad.
In 2013–14, Schmaltz recorded 18 goals and 63 points in 55 games, and the NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked him No. 19 among all draft-eligible North American skaters. At the end of that season, the Chicago Blackhawks selected him in the first round, 20th overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He then spent two seasons at the University of North Dakota, where he centered a line known as the CBS line with Drake Caggiula and Brock Boeser. During his sophomore year, Schmaltz scored the game-winning goal with 60 seconds remaining in the Frozen Four semifinal against Denver, then added an assist in North Dakota’s 5–1 victory over Quinnipiac that secured the 2016 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship.
Nick Schmaltz Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
Schmaltz made his NHL debut on October 12, 2016, in a 5–2 loss to the St. Louis Blues, and scored his first NHL goal three days later in a 5–3 win over the Nashville Predators. After a slow stretch that saw him post only four points in 26 games, the Blackhawks assigned him to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, in December 2016. He returned to Chicago in January 2017 and finished his rookie year with 6 goals and 22 assists for 28 points in 61 games, followed by a postseason appearance in a first-round sweep by the Nashville Predators.
The 2017–18 season marked Schmaltz’s true NHL breakthrough. He opened with a three-point game in a 10–1 rout of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and after a midseason move to the second-line center role alongside Ryan Hartman and Patrick Kane, his production soared. He finished the year with 21 goals and 31 assists for 52 points in 78 games, briefly tying captain Jonathan Toews for second on the team in scoring behind Kane. Although Chicago missed the playoffs that spring, Schmaltz had clearly arrived as an NHL contributor.
Arizona Coyotes Era (2018–2024)
On November 25, 2018, the Blackhawks traded Schmaltz to the Arizona Coyotes in a deal that sent Dylan Strome and Brendan Perlini to Chicago. He produced 5 goals and 14 points in 17 games before a lower-body injury required season-ending surgery, but Arizona still committed to him long term, signing him to a seven-year, $40.95 million contract extension on March 30, 2019. The following season, he led the Coyotes with 45 points in 2019–20 before a head injury in the exhibition round kept him out of the entire 2020 playoff bubble.
Reuniting with Christian Dvorak and skating alongside Conor Garland on a line nicknamed the Short Leash line, Schmaltz continued to produce for Arizona. In March 2022, he became the first player in franchise history to record seven points in a single game during an 8–5 comeback win over the Ottawa Senators, and added four more points the next game to set another franchise mark with 11 points over a two-game stretch. He finished 2021–22 with career highs of 23 goals, 36 assists, and 59 points.
Utah Mammoth Era (2024–Present)
After the Arizona Coyotes suspended operations, all of their hockey assets, including Schmaltz’s contract, were transferred to the expansion Utah Mammoth. Schmaltz transitioned smoothly into a veteran leadership role for the new franchise and remained a central part of its offensive core. His creativity, vision, and experience made him a natural fit as one of the team’s top centers heading into the new era of hockey in Utah.
On March 11, 2026, Schmaltz signed an eight-year, $64 million contract extension with the Mammoth, signaling the organization’s commitment to him as a long-term building block. The deal reflected both his steady production and his value as a mentor for younger teammates adjusting to the new club.
Driving Style and Strengths
Schmaltz is best known for his elite playmaking, hockey sense, and ability to control the pace of the game at even strength. He excels in transition, uses his edges and vision to set up linemates, and has grown more confident with the puck over the years rather than deferring to veterans. His pairing with shooters like Patrick Kane and Clayton Keller has produced some of his most consistent offensive stretches.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Schmaltz’s signature moments are his 2016 NCAA Frozen Four game-winning goal, his franchise-record seven-point game for Arizona in 2022, and his long-term contract extension with the Utah Mammoth. He also represented the United States at multiple international events, including the 2013 World Junior A Challenge, where he was named MVP, and two World Junior Championships.
Nick Schmaltz Career Wins and Achievements
While wins and losses in hockey are team-based rather than individual, Schmaltz has been part of several championship and milestone moments throughout his career. He helped the Green Bay Gamblers win the 2012 Clark Cup in the USHL, won the 2016 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship with North Dakota, and took a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
Junior and Collegiate Highlights
In the USHL, Schmaltz won the 2012 Clark Cup with the Green Bay Gamblers and was named to the USHL All-Rookie Team in 2012–13. At North Dakota, he was a key piece of the 2016 NCAA championship team and was named to the NCHC All-Tournament Team that same season. Across two collegiate seasons, he recorded 16 goals and 56 assists in 75 games.
Other Performances
Internationally, Schmaltz earned MVP honors at the 2013 World Junior A Challenge after setting a tournament record with 12 points. He also won gold at the 2013 World Junior A Challenge and bronze at the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, while representing the United States senior team at the 2017 IIHF World Championship.
Nick Schmaltz Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Hockey runs deep in the Schmaltz family. Nick’s older brother, Jordan Schmaltz, is also a professional ice hockey player who spent time in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Islanders before moving to play in Europe. Their younger sister, Kylie, played volleyball for the Kentucky Wildcats, continuing the family’s tradition of Division I athletics. Nick’s cousin, Jake Schmaltz, began playing college hockey for North Dakota in 2021 as a Boston Bruins prospect, further extending the family’s hockey footprint.
Personal Life
Schmaltz grew up in Verona, Wisconsin, in a close-knit household that supported his hockey ambitions from an early age. His parents, Mike and Lisa, encouraged athletic development, and the basement roller hockey rink became the foundation for his career. He continues to maintain ties to his Wisconsin roots while building his professional life in Utah.
2025 Season Performance
During the 2025 season, Schmaltz served as one of the Utah Mammoth’s primary offensive drivers, anchoring top-six forward lines and logging significant power-play minutes. His vision and passing helped generate chances for younger teammates adjusting to the NHL level, and he remained a consistent point producer throughout the campaign. The team’s growing chemistry showed steady improvement as the season progressed.
Schmaltz’s leadership was especially important in establishing a winning culture for the expansion franchise. He provided stability on the ice, mentored incoming forwards, and continued to play a central role in special-teams situations. His veteran presence helped the Mammoth remain competitive in a tough Western Conference.
Following his March 2026 contract extension, Schmaltz’s outlook with Utah is firmly upward. With a long-term commitment in place, he is positioned to remain a top-line center and face of the franchise for years to come, and his combination of skill, experience, and professionalism should continue to anchor the Mammoth’s rise.
