Utah Sign Stanley Cup Champion to Extension

The Utah Hockey Club are keeping one of their newest defensemen around for a few more seasons.
Jan 26, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Utah defenseman Olli Maatta (2) shoots the puck in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
Jan 26, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Utah defenseman Olli Maatta (2) shoots the puck in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images / Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

It may just be their first year in the NHL, but the Utah Hockey Club are already building a franchise looking for success. Before even allowing him to test free agency, Utah has signed Olli Maatta to a three-year contract extension.

Maatta’s new deal will earn him $3.5 million against Utah’s salary cap each year through the 2027-28 season. The two-time Stanley Cup champion will be 33 when the contract ends.

The Utah Hockey Club didn’t even start the 2024-25 season with Maatta on their roster. Injuries piling up on their blue line forced Utah to trade for the 30-year-old defenseman after just seven games played with the Detroit Red Wings.

In 58 games played this season split between Utah and the Red Wings, Maatta has two goals and 12 assists for 14 points. All of his points came with Utah following the late-October trade.

Maatta is a former first-round pick (22nd overall) of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2012 and has carved out a successful career for himself ever since. With the Penguins, he played 362 games and secured back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017.

In 742 career games played between Utah, Red Wings, Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Los Angeles Kings, Maatta has put up 42 goals and 149 assists for 191 total points.

Entering trade deadline week, Utah holds a 27-25-9 record through 61 games and are still. Very much in the race for a Western Conference playoff spot. With 63 standings points, Utah is just two points behind the Calgary Flames for the second wild card spot in the West.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

Nick Horwat is a contributor with Breakaway On SI. He was previously a credentialed reporter for The Hockey News covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A Pittsburgh native, Nick graduated from Point Park University and started reporting on news and sports with KDKA Radio and 93.7 The Fan. After hosting a Penguins talk radio show in college, he morphed the show into a podcast. The Tip of the Ice-Burgh Podcast has been a leading Penguins podcast since 2019. Follow him on Twitter @NickHorwat41.