Marino signs 8-year, $54M deal with Utah Mammoth

John Marino has locked in an eight-year contract worth $54 million with the Utah Mammoth. At 29, the defenseman is now anchoring the franchise’s blue line through the next decade.

Last season Marino put up solid numbers: 36 points (four goals, 32 assists) across 80 regular-season games. He logged the third-most ice time on the Mammoth at 20:12 per game, a clear sign of how central he is to the team’s defensive plan. When the playoffs came around, he added one goal in six games.

The contract itself marks a steep raise. Marino’s new average annual value hits $6.75 million—nearly 50% more than the $4.4 million AAV he was earning under his previous deal with Pittsburgh, a six-year, $26.4 million agreement he signed on January 3, 2021.

Utah acquired Marino from New Jersey on June 29, 2024, and he’s now spent two seasons with the Mammoth. Across Pittsburgh, New Jersey, and Utah, his career totals stand at 443 regular-season games and 157 points (23 goals, 134 assists). In the playoffs, he’s appeared in 35 games and registered seven points (one goal, six assists).

General manager Bill Armstrong is making a statement with this extension: the team believes Marino can be the steady defensive presence they need as they push for playoff depth. Last season’s tight first-round matchup against Vegas showed how thin the margin is at the highest level—and Utah is betting Marino’s experience will help them find those extra inches.