Utah Mammoth lock up John Marino with eight-year deal
The defenseman’s $54 million extension keeps him in Utah as the Mammoth continue building around a long-term core.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
John Marino is staying in Utah for the long haul after the Mammoth signed the defenseman to an eight-year extension worth $54 million, ESPN reported Tuesday.
The club announced the deal, which carries a $6.75 million annual value. Marino, 29, had been set to enter the final season of a six-year contract with a $4.4 million yearly cap hit, according to ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark.
Utah general manager Bill Armstrong called Marino “a foundational piece of our future” in a team statement, praising his work from the back end, his transition play and the trust the team has in him during critical moments.
The move gives the Mammoth another long-term pillar on defense. ESPN reported that Utah now has eight players signed for more than three additional seasons, a group that also includes defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and MacKenzie Weegar.
A key defender stays put
Marino’s path to Utah has already taken him through several NHL stops. He originally signed his expiring six-year deal while with the Pittsburgh Penguins, then was traded to the New Jersey Devils in 2022.
The Mammoth acquired him in 2024 in a deal that cost Utah three draft picks, according to ESPN. His arrival gave the team a top-four defenseman as the franchise began life in Utah after relocating from Arizona following the 2023-24 season.
In the Mammoth’s first season, Utah finished seven points shy of the second and final Western Conference wild-card spot, ESPN reported. One year later, the club reached the postseason for the first time since the move.
Marino played 80 games during the 2025-26 season and posted four goals and 36 points. ESPN reported he averaged 20 minutes, 12 seconds of ice time per game during that regular season.
Playoff push fuels bigger plans
Utah’s playoff run ended in the first round against the Vegas Golden Knights, who later reached the Stanley Cup Final. The Mammoth led the series 2-1 before dropping two double-overtime games on the way to elimination, according to ESPN.
Marino had one point in that series and averaged 22 minutes, 27 seconds of ice time. ESPN reported that ranked third on the team behind Sergachev and Nick Schmaltz.
The Marino extension lands in the middle of an active Utah offseason. ESPN reported the Mammoth opened free agency on July 1 by trading for New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, then signed former New York Islanders winger Anders Lee as an unrestricted free agent.
Utah also traded for goaltender Sebastian Cossa, a 2021 first-round pick who had been among the Detroit Red Wings’ top prospects, according to ESPN. The expectation reported by ESPN is that Cossa will work alongside Karel Vejmelka.
With Marino signed, Utah has made its latest move around a clear theme: keep the blue line steady, add veteran help up front and build a roster that can return to the Western Conference playoff race.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.