Nick Schmaltz is driving Utah’s top line and its League-leading power play, with six goals through six games as the Mammoth prepare to host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old forward has scored in each of Utah’s first four games and is tied with Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov for the NHL goal lead. His latest came on the power play in Saturday’s 4-1 road win over the Buffalo Sabres, giving him an NHL-best four power-play goals.
Schmaltz’s early surge follows a change in how he studies chances from the slot. Knowing he regularly found himself in prime shooting areas but wanted better results, he asked Utah’s skills coach for video focused on Sam Reinhart and Brayden Point.
He studied where the two elite finishers set up, particularly on man-advantage looks, and how their shooting choices changed with the puck’s position and the goaltender’s movement. The aim was simple: turn more of those slot touches into goals.
That work has carried over from last season, when Schmaltz established new career bests with 33 goals and 74 points in 82 games. He opened this campaign with eight points, made up of six goals and two assists, in six outings.
After the horn
Utah is off to a 4-2-0 start and has been one of the NHL’s most productive attacking clubs. The Mammoth are tied with the Vegas Golden Knights for fifth in goals per game at 3.67, while their power play is operating at a League-best 40 percent.
Schmaltz said the unit is attacking rather than waiting for a perfect passing lane. Utah has treated its power play with the same urgency it brings at even strength, taking available shots and reacting to the next play instead of holding the puck for a prettier option.
Coach Andre Tourigny sees more than the scoring run. He praised Schmaltz’s reads, positioning, stick work and ability to move the puck, noting that the forward’s value may not always come in a highlight-reel moment. Tourigny also pointed to Schmaltz’s work around the crease and said the line is playing well.
Clayton Keller and Vincent Trocheck are skating alongside Schmaltz. Keller has one goal and seven assists, matching Schmaltz for the Mammoth team lead with eight points. Trocheck, acquired from the New York Rangers on July 1, has a goal and an assist in six games while winning 61.9 percent of his face-offs.
Schmaltz signed an eight-year, $64 million contract on March 11, carrying an $8 million average annual value. After playing through the final Arizona Coyotes seasons, he has become a central piece of Utah’s attack.
For all the added video work, Schmaltz is not chasing the numbers every night. He said the priority is creating chances, accepting that some games bring goals and others can bring plenty of shots without a finish. His teammate Lawson Crouse has seen enough of the current stretch to call Schmaltz “hotter than toast.”
